


The Twilight Menace

by the_giant_rat_that_makes_all_the_rules



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka is 20 ya yeet, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Dark Comedy, F/M, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Like really slow, Order 66 (Star Wars), Post-Order 66 (Star Wars), Slight Maulsoka, Slow Burn, basically a team-up, elements of abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 71,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25515466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_giant_rat_that_makes_all_the_rules/pseuds/the_giant_rat_that_makes_all_the_rules
Summary: Following the chaos of Order 66, Ahsoka Tano finds herself in the unlikely company of Darth Maul. United by a common enemy, the former Jedi and renegade Sith Lord are forced to put aside their differences in order to dethrone Darth Sidious and restore balance to the galaxy.In other words, Maul and Ahsoka embark on an epic adventure and bicker the whole time.
Relationships: Darth Maul & Ahsoka Tano, Darth Maul/Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 268
Kudos: 368
Collections: Maulsoka Fanfic Writers (Discord)





	1. The Escape: Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everybody! 
> 
> I literally love this pairing and their dynamic so much that I decided to give writing a fic a shot... and I never write fics. That's how much I love these two haha
> 
> I have the first eight or so chapters already written up, so I will be uploading them over the course of the next few days as I get around to proofing and finalizing them. Stay tuned! 
> 
> Also, it is important to note that Ahsoka is aged up in this fic. Nothing too saucy will happen, but you never know ;)

Ahsoka’s footsteps echoed on the metal floor as she sprinted down the hall, the jarring sound mingling with her heavy breathing.

Rex, her men, had tried to kill her.

Why had they tried to kill her?

The shock of what had transpired mere minutes earlier had fueled her drive to escape. However, now, her surprise was beginning to give way to confusion. It had all been so sudden; one minute, she had been standing on the bridge, lost in the blue swirl of hyper space, and then…

_The visions._

In the clamor of the ambush, of being _shot_ at by the clones, she had nearly forgotten what had happened merely moments before her men had attacked her. She had seen things, absurd things, that had drilled a hole in her skull and had caused her head to throb and ache in pain. Mace Windu, a man she could only assume to be Darth Sidious, Anakin….

She couldn’t shake the feeling that the visions were real. They had been too vivid, too alive, almost like she was there herself. And deep at her core, despite how much she wanted to deny their truth, she knew that Anakin was in trouble.

 _You idiot,_ she thought to herself, slowing her sprint down the corridor to press herself against the wall as she approached a broad intersection of the ship, _right now, I’d say you’re in more trouble than he is._

But even with the visions, she was still puzzled. That didn’t explain why her men had attacked her, and it certainly didn’t explain Rex’s bizarre behavior. As far as she was concerned, her vision of Anakin and her reality of being shot at by the clones were two separate, unrelated events.

Inching cautiously along the wall, Ahsoka frowned as the hilt of a third, foreign lightsaber hilt dug into her thigh.

After landing on Mandalore with Maul in custody, Ahsoka had been greeted by Bo-Katan, the stern woman scrutinizing her with sharp, green eyes. She had returned Ahsoka’s lighsabers to her, carrying the two hilts in the palm of her hand.

In her other hand, she had revealed a third lightsaber hilt, the thick barrel glinting harshly in the light. Ahsoka immediately recognized it as Maul’s saberstaff.

“We weren’t quite sure what to do with this,” she had said, a sneer of disgust plastered across her face. “But we sure as hell don’t want it.”

In the moment, Ahsoka hadn’t really wanted it either, but, not wanting to offend Bo-Katan, she had accepted the third saber without so much as a sour face. The handle had been heavy; a hideous, bulky contraption that weighed more than her two sabers combined. Trying her best to suppress a grimace at the unwanted gift, Ahsoka had clipped it to her belt, doing her best to adapt to the extra mass she found herself straddled with.

“Make sure he doesn’t get a hold of that thing,” Bo-Katan had warned, pointing a finger accusingly at the device. “It’s caused enough damage as it is.”

Ahsoka couldn’t agree more.

Attention drawn back to the present, towards the offending hilt, Ahsoka had a sudden epiphany. _Maul,_ she realized. _This has to be his doing._

Anger and frustration swelled around her in waves. Of course! Even that Force-restricting Mandalorian prison couldn’t prevent him from weaseling his slimy grip through and manipulating the minds of the clones, provoking them to attack her.

 _Very sneaky, Maul,_ Ahsoka seethed, altering her course towards the detention bay where she knew he was currently confined. She had to hand it to him, the guy was impressively creative. Though how he was able to control the clones from his prison, which should have severed his access to the Force, was beyond her.

 _Bo-Katan did say that it was an old contraption_ , Ahsoka mused as she quietly jogged down the hallway. _Perhaps it didn’t work as well as they thought._

Taking a few more turns, Ahsoka recognized the part of the ship she was in. If she was correct, Maul’s prison cell would be down the corridor at the next junction.

Tiptoeing against the wall, Ahsoka snuck a quick peak around the corner. There, down the hall, were two Republic Clone Troopers standing guard next to a door. Their backs were to the wall, but Ahsoka knew that they would see her if she were to step out into the open.

Ahsoka was stuck. She knew the moment she was spotted, they would open fire and alert the other clones to her location. She had to distract them, but with what?

She almost withdrew back to her spot behind the wall to think when she saw the trooper closest to her pull out a communication device and exchange a brief word with a hooded, holographic figure. Squinting her eyes, Ahsoka tried to identify the person, but couldn’t quite make out their features due to the combined efforts of the distance and the fuzzy quality of the image.

After a moment, the transmission cut out. Strapping the device back onto his belt, the soldier who had received the message looked at his companion and nodded. Together, the two guards entered Maul’s cell, leaving the hallway clear.

Wasting no time, Ahsoka sprinted down the corridor, a pit of dread growing in her stomach as she approached the cell. What was Maul playing at?

Quickly arriving at the entrance to the chamber, Ahsoka watched as the clones stood right outside of Maul’s prison, the one closest to the control panel pushing a button that caused the door to slide open with a rush of air. Ahsoka was prepared to stop them from freeing him when suddenly, she saw the clones simultaneously lift their blasters in preparation to shoot him, with Maul still strapped in and chained to his coffin. Realization about their intent dawned upon her, and, without thinking, she reached out with the Force and slammed one of the clones into the wall on her right, hard enough to instantly knock him out. Her distraction allowed the other trooper time to lift his blaster and aim at her, but before he could pull the trigger, Ahsoka seized his body and threw it wildly up into the ceiling, letting him drop in an unconscious heap.

Her breath ragged and heart hammering in her skull, Ahsoka locked eyes with Maul, his eyes betraying a bewildered, perplexed expression.

She stalked up to him across the room, nose scrunched in fury. “ _Was this your doing?”_ she accused, jabbing a finger at his immobile chest.

He narrowed his eyes at her; with his mouth covered and the rest of his body shackled, it was the only thing that he could use to communicate. After a moment of holding her gaze, he pointedly looked at the body of the unconscious clone that had been thrown against the wall, and then at the one that had been thrown against the ceiling. He couldn’t speak, but Ahsoka knew exactly what he was trying to tell her.

Her fury at him quickly dissipated, giving way to more confusion. They had just tried to kill Maul. If he wasn’t behind it, then who was?

Cupping her chin in her hand, Ahsoka thought for a second. Given the current circumstances, she had to get off the ship, and fast. But how?

An idea occurred to her. Looking up, she met Maul’s eyes, whose glowing glare hadn’t left her as she had paused to contemplate her next move.

She fought the urge to sigh. It was risky, and she _really_ didn’t want to do it, but she was fresh out of options.

“Don’t make me regret this,” she growled, jabbing another finger at his chest in warning. Before she could fully consider what she was doing, Ahsoka pressed a button on a panel on the side of the box. With a hiss, the restraints that had held him helplessly pinned against the wall loosened. Free, but unsupported, Maul fell like a rock, gracelessly collapsing on his hands and knees at Ahsoka’s feet. Coughing, he struggled to control his breathing, his sides heaving as he knelt on the ground. After he took a moment to regain his composure, he slowly straightened his body until he was level with Ahsoka, yellow eyes meeting blue.

“You… you survived,” he muttered incredulously.

Ahsoka unsheathed her main lightsaber and pointed the blade threateningly at Maul’s neck. “Was this your doing?” she repeated, voice laced with menace. She wanted to hear him speak and defend himself. “Choose your next words carefully.”

Maul coughed lightly into his shoulder. “ _No,_ this what not _my_ doing, I don’t know what has occurred. But I felt it,” his body spasmed as he was wracked with a light fit of wheezing, heavy breathing. “The voices crying out. The _death._ ”

“The visions,” Ahsoka whispered in terror. “You saw them too?”

“I _felt_ them, even in my confinement.” 

Ahsoka relented slightly, taking a step back. “The clones turned against me. I don’t know why, they suddenly just… weren’t themselves.”

To her surprise, she heard Maul laughing lightly, the sound not unfit for a raving lunatic. Raising an eyebrow in appraisal, she judgmentally watched as his shoulders shook with the sound. “Brilliant,” he exclaimed, “Brilliant!”

Ahsoka’s confusion morphed into a scowl, her twisted expression inviting Maul to elaborate.

“I was not privy to my master’s plans, but now… _now_ I see it. He’s turned the Jedi’s own army against them. Although how, that escapes me.”

He straightened out his tunic, taking a step toward Ahsoka. “Well, you’ve done the right thing by coming to me. Only together, can we survive this. Now, if you’ll follow my lead…”

“ _Your lead?”_ Ahsoka asked incredulously, holding the blade of her lightsaber up to him. “I think you forget who holds the power here, _Maul_.”

He merely glared at the end of the blue edge shoved threateningly in his face, his mouth thinning into a line of annoyance. “So,” he drawled, appearing unphased by Ahsoka’s threat. “I take it you have a plan?”

Ahsoka adjusted her grip on the hilt of her saber, trying to quell her discomfort at being so close to Maul’s scrutiny. “I… have the beginnings of one.”

“Oh, _do tell,_ ” he scoffed, crossing his arms expectantly.

Ahsoka felt herself struggling to control her breathing, fighting the rising panic of her proximity to Maul. This was all too much! What was she doing? 

She cleared her throat in an effort to shake her apprehension. “For starters, we need to get off this ship.”

“ _Excellent_ observation, Lady Tano,” he said tauntingly. “And tell me, how do you propose we do that?”

“Well, currently, we’re traveling through hyperspace. We’ll have to disengage the ship from the hyperlane in order to safely evacuate.” 

Maul rolled his eyes. “Yes, thank you, I’m aware of how hyperspace works.” He turned away from her to begin pacing the length of the room, knuckles pressed to his mouth as he sank deep in thought. Ahsoka’s eyes did not leave his figure as he idly moved across the floor, determined not to let her guard slip.

“We’ll need a transport” he muttered to himself, barely loud enough for Ahsoka to hear. “But I don’t doubt that they have the hangar bay under complete lockdown.”

After a moment, he stopped pacing and looked back up at Ahsoka. “We will need to split up.”

Ahsoka snorted in disbelief. “There’s no kriffing way I’m letting you out of my sight.”

Maul strode up to her until his nose was almost touching the end of her ignited blade. He gave the saber a disdainful sneer. “Trust me, Padawan, the only way we’re getting off this blasted ship is if we simultaneously tackle these obstacles. Time is of the essence. We’ll have to work quickly and efficiently. The moment the hyperdrive is disengaged, we must leave immediately. There will be no _time_ to find a ship, it will have to be secured and ready to go.” 

“If you feel so strongly about separating, then _you_ disable the hyperdrive. I’ll find us a ship.”

Maul smirked, though it did not reach his eyes. “Giving me the more difficult job, no? You drive a hard bargain.” He paused, looking away as he tapped his fingers to his chin thoughtfully before turning his gaze back to her. “How do I know you won’t leave the ship without me?”

Ahsoka flexed her fingers on the hilt of her saber, inching it closer to his face in threat. “You don’t.”

“Hmmmmm, no, that won’t do.” He stepped back, submitting to her slight show of aggression and putting some distance between him and her exposed blade.

“How do I know you won’t try to kill me if we escape together?” Ahsoka countered.

Maul chuckled darkly. “You don’t,” he replied, echoing what she had previously answered.

“Well, then how do you expect us to work together?” Ahsoka asked. “We obviously don’t trust each other.”

“No, but you do have my word that I will not attempt to kill you.”

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. “Even after we escape this ship?” She questioned.

“Until we defeat Sidious. My offer for you to join me still stands,” he responded, voice dangerously low and serious.

A moment of tension passed between the two figures, so thick it was almost tangible. Ahsoka hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Every part of her was screaming at her to tell him no, to refuse like she had already done twice before, and yet.... 

Ahsoka sighed and straightened, sheathing her blade. It was less than ideal, but she was out of choices and out of time. If this is how she was going to make it off the ship alive, then she would do what she needed to do. “I accept,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was betraying her friends, family, and herself, but right now, the need to survive trumped all rational thought.

A look of relief passed across Maul’s face. “Good,” he breathed, exhaustion shining through his features for a brief moment before he regained his composure.

A period of awkward silence stretched between them, neither knowing what to say. Ahsoka didn’t know what to say or do; she knew they needed to leave but she wasn’t willing to let him out of her sight.

If only there was some way to guarantee their mutual compliance… but they had nothing to offer each other but empty promises and dubious skepticism. 

Ahsoka lightly traced her finger along the hilt of her saber, an idea suddenly occurring to her. “We may not trust each other, but there may be something we can exchange in order to ensure our… cooperation.”

Ahsoka unclipped the three lightsaber hilts from her belt, holding up her two smaller ones in her left hand and Maul’s in her right.

“My lightsaber…” Maul said mild reverence, watching intently as Ahsoka lifted it up in the dim light of the cell. “I never thought I’d see it again.”

Ashoka balanced his hilt in her hand. “Here’s the deal. I give you my lightsabers. I take yours. We exchange them once we are safely off this ship. Simple as that.”

Maul frowned. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re getting the better deal here. How am I to know that you won’t run off with my lightsaber?”

Ahsoka scoffed. “Are you kidding me? Red is _definitely_ not my color. Not to mention, your hilt is incredibly bulky and garish.” She held the heavy device in the palm of her hand, eyeing it with distaste. “Yes, your saber is certainly not my style.”

“Fair point. Now, if you’re done insulting my lightsaber, I agree to your little deal. May we proceed?”

He held out his hand expectantly. With reluctance, Ahsoka dropped her hilts into his palm, trying to swallow her regret as their familiar touch left her fingers. He lifted the sabers up to inspect them, turning them over in his hands and testing their weight.

It was uncomfortable watching him scrutinize them, making her feel oddly self-conscious. For the Jedi, it was taught that one’s lightsaber was their life. The unspoken connection between an individual and their kyber crystal ran deep in the fibers of the Force. Her offer was one not to be taken lightly, and she could only hope that the Sith respected their crystals in the same way that the Jedi did.

With her free hand she pointed at her two lightsaber hilts clenched in Maul’s gloved hands. She could practically _feel_ her crystals pulsing in displeasure at being held by the Sith. “I want those back unharmed. There better not be a single scratch.” _Those lightsabers mean a lot to me_ , she added as an unspoken afterthought, thinking briefly of Anakin.

“Do not fret, Lady Tano,” he said dismissively, clipping the hilts to his belt. They looked odd and out of place at his side. “I’ll return them to you once we are off this ship, just as I expect you to do the same with mine.”

Ahsoka nodded, trying to ignore the feeling that this would be the last time she would be seeing her precious weapons.

The two crystals in the heavy hilt she currently held thrummed with a dark, chaotic energy. Their aura was distinct and foreign, completely different from the soft, calming glow of her own. She got the sense that they weren’t particularly happy about being possessed by a light-sider.

Tucking the handle back onto her belt, she watched guardedly as Maul walked over to the bodies of the clones, pulling two commlinks off of their unconscious frames.

He offered one to Ahsoka, who accepted it hesitantly. “It would be in our best interest to remain in contact with one another, don’t you think?” he commented, fidgeting with his device to change the frequency channel it was tuned into. Ahsoka did the same.

“So, our plan is simple,” she said, clipping the device onto her wrist. “You go bring the ship out of hyperspace. I go find and ready a shuttle for us to leave. Once you’ve completed your job, come find me in the hangar bay. Then, we leave.”

“Sounds like a very well thought out plan,” Maul sarcastically quipped. He walked past her and out the door of the cell. “Your attention to details is immaculate.”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, turning to follow him out into the hallway. “I’m confident in your abilities to figure it out.”

“Such faith you have in me. I thought you didn’t trust me?”

“I don’t,” Ahsoka clarified. “I just know what you’re capable of.”

“Hm, yes, well, it seems as though my reputation precedes me.” 

Ahsoka grunted in exasperation. “Just, get the job done.”

A sudden thought occurred to her, causing her face to contort into a slight grimace.

“And please, _try_ not to kill too many clones.”

Maul rolled his eyes. “I will make no such promises.”

Ahsoka bit the bottom of her lip, her eyes drawn to her lightsabers at Maul’s waist. The abrupt realization that this _monster_ would use her lightsabers to kill her brothers curled sickeningly in her gut. Why had she freed him? This was a mistake _This was a huge mistake._

As if reading her thoughts, Maul fully turned to her, capturing her in a steely glare. “Though, if it makes you feel any better, I will not use your weapons to bring about their demise,” he offered in an almost irritated tone.

Unsure of how to respond, Ahsoka simply nodded in thanks. Lifting up her wrist, she pointed to the communication device strapped to it. “I’ll contact you once I have a transport secured.”

“And I’ll contact you when I bring the ship out of hyperspace,” he confirmed.

Ahsoka pursed her lips, not really knowing what to say. “…Good luck, Maul.”

He regarded her for a second before slightly bowing his head. “May the Force be with you, Ahsoka Tano.” And with that, he turned around and strolled down the hall, leaving her alone in the eerily quiet ship.

 _I can’t believe I’m doing this_ , Ahsoka admonished, turning to jog down the corridor in the opposite direction. _Here goes nothing._


	2. The Escape: Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!
> 
> So this is the last "reworked" chapter... I was strongly considering not including these first two chapters in this fic, but ultimately realized that they were really important in setting up the plot and pinpointing where this AU diverges from the canon. With that being said, most of this content is fresh, and I promise that it will all pay off in the end!

Instead of heading directly toward the hangar bay, where she knew a shuttle would be waiting, Ahsoka took a detour, hoping to stop by the droid charging station on her way there. Without the help of an astromech, she would have no chance of opening the main doors of the dockyard in a timely fashion.

It took her a few minutes of sneaking through the corridors, but she finally made it to the charging room without being spotted. Ducking through the entryway as she heard footsteps rapidly approaching her from behind, Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that there was no one except for a few sleeping droids in the room. Creeping over to one of the mechs, she hastily switched it on, the unit waking from its slumber in a flurry of twitters and whistles.

“Shh!” She whispered, fearful that anyone who happened to be passing by could hear the droid’s distraught beeps. “R7, I need your help.”

The droid continued to chirp frantically, rocking back and forth on his supports in agitation.

“I know, I know,” she said, trying to placate him. Behind her, the lights turned on as the other two droids in the charging room detached themselves from their holding stations and wheeled over to her, piling on more questions in a cacophony of robotic noises.

“I’m not sure,” Ahsoka responded, “I don’t know why the clones are doing this. But we might be able to do something about it.”

The astromechs pushed against her until they were brushing up against her legs, looking up at her expectantly.

“Are you sure you want to help? It could be dangerous.”

The three droids twittered enthusiastically, their compliance bringing a smile to Ahsoka’s face. Recalling what Rex had said to her moments before he had turned on her, she turned to the orange astromech positioned at her feet. “R7, patch into the central computer. Can you bring up every file on arc-trooper CT-5555?”

R7 beeped in affirmation, rolling over to the computer console on the side of the room. Within a few moments, a holographic image of Fives was pulled up and projected to the center of the room. Ahsoka pursed her lips as she saw the trooper’s file, the visual of his brain scan and reports surrounding his death arousing her suspicion. Noticing a video report archived by one of the clone’s Kaminoan supervisors, she selected the document.

“ _An independent investigation confirmed that the Clone Trooper CT-5555 experienced a malfunction with his inhibitor chip. Both the Senate Committee and the Jedi Council have accepted these findings. However, a grievance report was filed by CT-7567.”_

Ahsoka frowned, recognizing Rex’s Trooper code. “R7, bring up that report.”

The droid whistled at her, telling her that the file was sealed.

“That’s odd… Try Anakin’s clearance password, 8108.”

To Ahsoka’s relief, the report was immediately unlocked, a small holovideo of Rex being projected in front of her. He looked dejected and confused. Ahsoka felt a pang in her heart as she saw his face, the memory of him shooting at her leaping unbidden to the forefront of her mind. Pushing aside her feelings hastily, she forced herself to focus on the recording.

“ _I already know this report is going to fall on deaf ears, but I owe it to Fives to record what I saw. I’m not sure I believe it myself, but those inhibitor chips that the Kaminoans put in us might have a purpose that we don’t fully understand yet.”_

“Rex…” Ahsoka whispered as the video ended and his face faded out of view. “We have to help him. If it’s these inhibitor chips that are causing the clones to act like this, then there should be a way to remove them, right?”

The astromechs chirped in dubious agreement.

“Yes, I know that _I_ can’t remove their chips, but I’m sure the droids in the med bay can….” Ahsoka trailed off, lips pursed as the beginnings of a plan blossomed in her mind. After a short minute of mulling over the details she crouched down so that she was eye level with the trio of mechs clustered at her feet. “Cheeps, G-G, I’m going to need you guys to go find Rex, okay? Bring him to the medical bay, but you _cannot_ tell him that I’ll be there.”

The two droids voiced their concerns, their worried beeps clashing together.

“Oh, I don’t know, tell him that the medical droid wishes to do a check-up procedure. That his medical files are outdated and that Republic policy dictates that he cannot be in active duty until they are complete, something like that. I’m sure you two can come up with something believable.” The two droids pivoted so that they were looking each other, doubt evident in their mannerisms.

Somewhat satisfied, Ahsoka stood up, patting R7 on his dome. “You’ll be coming with me. I can’t exactly sneak into the med bay myself.”

The group of four made to leave the charging station, readying to split off to their respective destinations. “We’ll be waiting for you in the med bay,” Ahsoka told the Cheeps and G-G. “See you two soon.”

Heading in opposite directions, Ahsoka and R7 slowly made their way through the hallways of the ship, their progress stunted by the overwhelming number of troopers storming the halls. After a few harrowing minutes of meticulously darting through the maze of hallways, they turned a corner, finally coming upon the marked door of the med bay. Much to her alarm, Ahsoka could hear two squads advancing from opposing ends of the corridor they had just diverged from; there was nowhere left to go.

“The cameras, R7,” she hissed, the sound of the footsteps getting closer. “You have to take out the cameras on the inside before I can go in.”

The astromech chirped in affirmation, quickly spurring the lock around in a mechanical blur. After an excruciating second, he opened the door, the pair slipping into the room just before the oncoming squadrons passed by the off-shooting passageway.

“Good work, R7,” she praised the droid as they stood in the med bay. “That was a close one.”

They only had to a short while longer before Ahsoka heard a single pair of footsteps and the low hum of droids wheeling along the ground approach the door. Steeling herself, Ahsoka watched as the door swung open and Rex’s eyes widened in shock as he registered her presence. Not wasting a second, Ahsoka gritted her teeth and held her hand out, reaching into Rex’s consciousness for a brief second before twisting her hand and turning it off like a switch. Before he could speak, his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed, slumping onto the ground like a corpse.

The two droids accompanying him flinched in surprise, turning to Ahsoka in an almost accusatory way. 

“Relax, you two, he’s not dead, just asleep. It’ll make this whole process easier.” Ahsoka walked over to his limp body and slung his arm over her shoulder, doing her best to hoist him up and carry him to the scanning bed. He was heavy, causing Ahsoka’s knees to almost buckle as she practically dragged him across the floor.

“G-G,” she gasped out, “Go lock the doors. _Make sure they stay shut_.” 

She barely registered the droid’s response as she unceremoniously dumped Rex onto the scanner. Summoning the medical droid that slowly rolled over to where he lay, Ahsoka hurried to the control panel at the base of the bed, inputting the commands that would instruct the droid to search his brain.

The tall robot began scanning the target areas, but after a long minute, came up negative.

“But the chip has to be there,” Ahsoka insisted. “Check him again!”

The medical droid followed her orders, repeating the process. Ahsoka watched the visual of the scan with baited breath, but nothing showed up. She screwed her eyes shut, pressing her fingers to her temples. No, this wasn’t right. It _had_ to be there. She didn’t know what she was going to do if there wasn’t a way to bring Rex back, if he was permanently stuck in this state….

R7 chirped at her feet, informing her that nothing had yet been found.

“Keep scanning!” She said, making her way over to the side of the bed.

Gently placing her hands on the side of his face, Ahsoka closed her eyes. Surrounding herself with the Force, she extended a cautious tendril into Rex’s mind, delicately poking and prodding at his brain as she searched for any inconsistencies. Initially not finding anything, she delved deeper into the Force, extending her conscious slowly into Rex’s until she could no longer differentiate between where she ended and he began. She slowly began to lose her sense of individuality as she searched, spiraling deeper and deeper until their minds blended into one single entity.

She was wrenched from her meditative state when the medical droid let out a loud beep, gasping as her mind was rudely ripped away from Rex. Heart pounding in her head, she ran to the control panel, almost crying with happiness when she saw that the scan of Rex’s brain had found the inhibitor chip. “There it is!” She said with excitement. “R7, get him under and remove that thing!”

R7 chirped in worry, expressing his doubts.

“I don’t know, if it will work” Ahsoka admitted with reluctance. “But if we don’t get this chip removed, he’s as good as dead anyways.”

She watched as his body was pushed back into the operation chamber, sliding into the sleek tube until she couldn’t fully see him anymore. She rapped her knuckles on the edge of the bed in impatient nervousness, anxiously gnawing at the inside of her cheek while she waited.

Ahsoka was interrupted when the commlink on her wrist beeped, indicating an incoming transmission. She hesitantly accepted the call, turning away from the operation. “Maul?” She asked, praying that it wouldn’t be a random clone who had killed him and plucked the transmitter off of his dead body.

“Ah, Lady Tano,” his voice smoothly responded. “So good to hear your voice. I was afraid you wouldn’t pick up.”

“Is there a reason you’re calling me?” Ahsoka snapped, surprised at the biting venom imbued in her tone. However, since it was Maul she was talking to, she couldn’t bring herself to feel very guilty.

“I will soon bring the ship out of hyperspace. Have you secured the shuttle?”

She cringed reflexively. “Not exactly, I got a little… sidetracked.”

“Sidetracked, _with what?_ ” His voice was dangerously low. Ahsoka was thankful they were in separate parts of the ship.

“Don’t worry about it,” she retorted flippantly. “I’ll get the ship. You just worry about yourself.”

He began to go on a lengthy tirade about how her foolishness was going to get them killed and how he _would_ worry about her getting the ship since it was both of their lives at stake, but Ahsoka simply severed the commlink’s connection to cut his rant short. She pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, cursing her circumstances for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Hearing a small commotion rattle behind her, she turned around, startled to see Rex sitting up in the scanning bed and staring at her. 

“Rex,” Ahsoka said, regarding him with caution. “Are you okay?”

He locked eyes with her. For a sinking moment, Ahsoka watched his hands fall to his blasters at his side, muscles tensing as she prepared to fight. However, his hands continued past the holsters, instead resting against the surface of the bed as he supported his sitting position. “Yeah…. Yeah kid, I’m okay.”

Ahsoka’s shoulders sagged in relief as she beamed at him, unable to keep the smile from tugging at the corners of her lips.

Before she could speak, Rex continued, saying, “I’m sorry for what happened earlier, I… I almost killed you.”

Ahsoka shook her head, brushing off his apology as unnecessary. “Don’t worry about it Rex, it wasn’t you. How widespread is this?”

“Ahsoka. It’s _all_ of us. The entire clone army.”

The statement his Ahsoka like a sack of bricks. Grasping the edge of the bed to steady herself, she felt the room spin around her as she struggled to control her breathing. Icy shock spread through her body, the cold fibers sending shivers of dread down her spine. This was _way_ worse than she thought.

“Everyone?” She asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Rex only nodded, his silence speaking volumes. Neither of them spoke for a moment, both consumed with grief, disbelief, and fear.

“Well,” Ahsoka began, eventually breaking the heavy lull in conversation as the ice in her body slowly retreated. “At least you’re back. I was scared I lost you.”

Rex offered her a weak smile in return, shifting his weight so that his legs were hanging off the side of the bed. “And I’m glad you’re not dead,” he said, pushing himself up. 

R7 bumped Ahsoka on the leg. She smiled down at him and patted him on the dome. “Good work, buddy,” she praised.

Ahsoka turned back to Rex, a sense of urgency overcoming her. “Come on, we need to get out of here.”

“Where are we going?” he asked, walking over to her.

“The hangar bay. We’re going to swipe a shuttle and get off this ship.”

Rex pulled back slightly, hesitating. “That’s… no. I can’t do that,” he stammered, diverting his gaze to stare at the floor instead of her. 

Ahsoka looked at him in surprise. “What? Why not?”

“My brothers…. Commander Tano, you have to understand that I can’t leave them behind.”

“Well I’m not leaving you here, either!” Ahsoka argued, crossing her arms stubbornly. What was the idiot thinking? She didn’t go through the effort of removing his inhibitor chip just to abandon him on the ship!

Rex shook his head. “You can’t stay here Ahsoka, they’ll kill you. You and I both know this to be true.”

She swallowed the lump of sadness steadily forming in the back of her throat. “But what about you? They’ll kill you as well, if they find out that you removed your inhibitor chip and helped me escape!”

“Ah, but they don’t need to know about either of those things, now do they?” Rex lightly tapped the side of his head. “As far as they’re concerned, I wasn’t feeling well so I took a short trip to the medical bay. Soon, I will return to help my men look for you. It’s as simple and easy as that.

“Besides,” Rex continued, taking note of Ahsoka’s dejected expression. “You’re going to need all the help you can get escaping this ship.” He reached out and placed a soft hand on her shoulder. “I’ll draw the troopers away from the hangar bay and distract them for a bit. That should make it easier for you to steal a shuttle and leave.”

Ahsoka covered Rex’s hand with one of hers. “I don’t want to say goodbye,” she whispered, sadness coloring her voice. “I just got you back.”

“Not to worry, Commander Tano,” Rex said lightly, though Ahsoka could tell it was a little forced. “Once the ship lands, I’ll sneak off and find you again. I wouldn’t consider this to be a ‘goodbye,’ more like a ‘see you later.’”

Ahsoka nodded faintly. “You’re a good soldier, Rex.”

“It’s been a pleasure serving with you, Ahsoka Tano.”

They smiled bittersweetly at one another for a moment, Ahsoka trying to commit his face to her memory just in case this was the last time she ever saw him.

Of course, he was a clone, so his face wouldn’t be _that_ difficult to remember, but he was different.

He was Rex.

The moment was interrupted by R7 nudging her leg, reminding her of their need to leave. “R7, could you do me a huge favor?” she asked. “Could you erase Rex’s procedure from the computer’s history?” R7 beeped in approval and rolled away. Ahsoka turned to G-G and Cheeps, who looked at her expectantly. “Ready for phase two, guys?” she asked lightheartedly, laughing at the excited chirps she received in response.

“You go ahead first,” Rex told her. “I’ll wait a few minutes before I leave.”

“Thanks Rex,” Ahsoka said, the trio of droids clustering at her feet. 

She had started to leave when a blaring voice from Rex’s communication device tore through the room. “We have a visual on prisoner Maul approaching section C27 of the ship. Requesting immediate backup!”

“Darth Maul!” Rex gasped in disbelief. “How did he get out?”

Ahsoka rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, grimacing awkwardly. “That might’ve been my doing… he’s helping me escape,” she explained feebly.

“What?!” Rex exclaimed. “Ahsoka, why would you do that?” When Ahsoka didn’t immediately respond, not fully able to rationalize the choice much less defend it, Rex held up a hand. “You know what, never mind, I really don’t want to know. I trust that you know what you’re doing.”

“Sorry,” Ahsoka apologized. “It’s kind of complicated. Just steer clear of him, I told him not to kill any clones, but you and I both know how he is.” _Who he is._

Rex nodded. “I understand, I appreciate the heads up.”

Ahsoka offered him a small, regretful smile before walking away, her posse of astromechs following her loyally towards the door. Placing a hand on the frame, she paused, glancing over her shoulder one last time at her longtime friend and companion.

“See you soon, Rex.”

“I’m looking forward to it, Commander Tano.”

She nodded to him, finally turning away to open the door. Sticking her head out and checking both ways, she motioned the droids to follow her into the empty hall. They had walked halfway down the corridor before she realized she had no idea where she was going.

“R7,” she said in a hushed undertone. “Do you know the fastest way to the hangar bay?”

Instead of verbalizing his response, the astromech rocked back and forth to indicate that he did. Ahsoka held out a hand, silently gesturing to him to lead the way.

Slowly, the small crew of four wove their way through the halls of the ship, managing to avoid being spotted. There were a few close calls, but Ahsoka always succeeded in ducking out of sight as the squads of troopers patrolled the passageways. They all seemed to be heading in the opposite direction of the ship bay; Ahsoka figured that Rex’s diversion was working. The number of soldiers passing them by steadily decreased, until they were practically alone in the hallways.

R7 emitted a soft string of beeps, interrupting the otherwise silent atmosphere.

“The control room is just up around the corner?” Ahsoka asked.

Sure enough, the thick, broad doors stood locked before them as they turned down central passageway. Ahsoka pointed at the lock by the door, prompting G-G to wheel over and insert his arm into the port. Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka cracked her knuckles as she prepared herself for the oncoming fight.

The skirmish, as it turned out, was shorter and easier than she anticipated. The clones manning the control room weren’t readily equipped to fight, allowing her to take out half them with a series of rapid high kicks and punches before the others had realized what was happening. One of the clones to her left who she hadn’t immediately disarmed quickly overcame his surprise, lashing out with a strong blow. Ahsoka avoided his punch by dropping to the floor in a crouch, sweeping her leg out so that it connected with the sides of his knees, sending him toppling to the floor.

Spinning around to face the other two clones who still stood before her, she flung her arms forward as she pushed out with the Force, sending them flying across the room and into the far wall, where they connected with a resounding _thump_.

All of them temporarily disarmed, Ahsoka quickly knelt down next to each of the clones, making sure that they had all been rendered unconscious. “Cheeps, lock the door!” she ordered from her spot on the floor, ushering the rest of the droids into the room. The astromech dutifully obliged, shutting the entrance with a resounding hiss.

Standing up, Ahsoka looked out over the hangar bay from the large window of the control room, a slight frown marring her face. “We’ll need to get those doors open,” she mused, tapping a finger to her chin. “But if we open them now, then the whole ship will know where we are and what we’re trying to do.”

She pulled out her commlink, activating the connection. A few seconds passed before Maul answered, his voice resounding through the small chamber. “Yes?” He sounded agitated, the sounds of blaster shots and shouting clones in the background being transmitted in a staticky quality.

Ahsoka wasted no time. “How much time will you need to reach the hangar bay after you bring the ship out of hyperspace?”

“Ideally, or realistically?”

“Can you make it in ten minutes?”

His breathing came in harsh and ragged over the commlink; clearly he was occupied at the moment. “I can do that.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” Ahsoka responded, deactivating the link. She turned to R7. “I have one last job for you, friend.”

She pointed to the side of the control panel, where the port for the astromech to connect to the ship’s computer was positioned. “When you’re plugged in, can you sense when the ship is brought out of hyperspace?”

R7 chirped in affirmation, telling her that he could.

“Excellent. When you feel the ship exit hyperspace, wait ten minutes before opening the hangar doors. And make sure you keep the doors to this room locked so no one can get in!”

R7 beeped enthusiastically, unfurling and bending his arm in mock solute.

“Thanks, R7. You’re the best,” Ahsoka said, smiling fondly at the orange droid.

Behind her, G-G rolled over to the slumped body of an unconscious clone, bumping up against his limp calf. _You should disguise yourself with his armor,_ the astromech suggested in binary.

“It’s not a bad idea,” Ahsoka laughed, rubbing G-G’s dome good-naturedly. “But I’m afraid my montrals and lekku won’t quite fit.”

G-G whistled in a low tone, agreeing with Ahsoka with some muted embarrassment.

“Come on, you two. We have a ship to steal.”

Bidding R7 farewell, the three departed the control room, cautiously making their way to the ground floor of the hangar bay. Much to Ahsoka’s relief, there were significantly fewer clones in this section of the ship. As they reached the last turn in the hallway that would lead them to the holding docks of the ships, Ahsoka motioned for the droids to stop.

“Cheeps, can you check which of these rooms has a shuttle in it?” Ahsoka whispered, pointing to a port on the side of the wall that the droid could plug into. Wordlessly, the astromech inserted his arm into the hole, twisting it around as he perused the ship’s files.

 _The third holding room on the right has a shuttle_ , he beeped in binary. _Fully fueled up._

“Perfect,” Ahsoka breathed. “Let’s go.”

As they approached the room, Ahsoka reached out with the Force, feeling for any signs of life. Screwing her eyes shut, she felt one, two, _three_ clones.

 _Not a problem,_ she said to herself. _I’ve certainly dealt with worse._

Holding a finger up to her lips to silently tell the two droids to not to say anything, Ahsoka gestured for Cheeps to prepare to open the door.

“On the count of three,” she mouthed, displaying three fingers. Cheeps bowed his body in acknowledgement, plugging into the port.

_Three, two, one._

The door snapped open, revealing a medium sized shuttle and three clones brandishing their blasters. Before they could say anything, she leapt forward, pulling Maul’s lightsaber from her belt and igniting it in one smooth motion. Only unsheathing one end of it, she gripped the bulky hilt tightly in two hands, unused to it’s heavy, wide feel.

Despite her unfamiliarity with the wretched device, it served its purpose. In the blink of an eye, she sliced through the clone’s three blaster barrels before they could fire a single shot, rendering the guns useless. With the clones weaponless, she exerted a hefty shove through the Force, sending them flying across the room and into the side of the shuttle. They groaned as they slid to the ground. Ahsoka wasted no time sprinting over to their disheveled forms, quickly putting them into a Force sleep one by one.

Behind her, she heard the door to the holding room close as both G-G and Cheeps entered. “Keep that locked!” she ordered, pointing the red blade of the saber at the entrance. The two droids quivered in fear at the sight of Maul’s lightsaber, the offending weapon casting a crimson glow in the room.

“Sorry,” Ahsoka said self-consciously, retracting the blade and reattaching it to her belt. “Kind of an odd sight, isn’t it?”

As Cheeps went to lock the door, Ahsoka busied herself by hauling the limp bodies of the clones over to the corner of the room and out of the way of the shuttle. As she was moving the last body, the floor beneath her rumbled ominously, the entire ship suddenly shuddering and pitching to the side.

“Agh!” Ahsoka cried out, almost losing her footing as she dropped the clone she was carrying to steady herself against the wall of the room. “What was that?”

From the entrance, Cheeps whistled at her, rocking back and forth in concern.

“The ship’s no longer in hyperspace?” she asked doubtfully. What the hell did Maul do?

As if on cue, her commlink lit up, informing her of an incoming transmission. She quickly accepted it, Maul’s low, raspy voice coming through on the device. “I hope you have a ship ready,” he growled.

“Maul!” Ahsoka said. “What did you do?”

He snorted over the call, the noise sounding distorted. “I brought the ship out of hyperspace, just like you requested.”

Behind her, she heard Cheeps spew something to her in binary.

“You destroyed the hyperdrive?!” Ahsoka gasped. “Why would you do that?”

“How else was I supposed to get the ship out of hyperspace?” She could hear him panting slightly over the transmission, the sound punctuated by the clash of metal on metal of what she could only assume was him running through the ship.

Ahsoka looked at her wrist incredulously. “I can think of a few other ways, all of them being exponentially less destructive!” she practically shouted.

“It doesn’t matter now,” he responded dismissively. “Now tell me where you are, and whether or not you have a ship.”

“I have a ship,” Ahsoka said. Covering a hand over the device to try and muffle the microphone, she turned back to Cheeps. “What holding room are we in?” she asked the droid. He chirped a short answer at her, prompting Ahsoka to uncover the commlink to relay the information to Maul.

“We’re in cell A3,” she told him. “Are you almost here?”

“I think so,” he grunted. Ahsoka could hear a muffled shout in the background followed by a barrage of blaster fire. “These clones aren’t making it easy, though.”

Ahsoka jogged over to the loading ramp of the shuttle, opening it with the press of a button. “Try not to kill them, please,” she pleaded, rushing through the ship to the cockpit.

“Tell that to them,” Maul snarled sharply.

Ahsoka grimaced, plopping down into the pilot’s chair. She hastily initiated the startup sequence for the ship, quickly pushing the necessary buttons and flipping the switches to turn the shuttle on. The cockpit was suddenly alit in a quiet glow, a soft hum filling the cabin as the engine and power whirred to life.

“I locked the door to the holding room of the shuttle,” she said into the commlink. “Tell me when you’re here and I’ll let you in.”

Killing the connection, Ahsoka fought the desire to abandon him on the ship. _He has your lightsabers_ , she reminded herself, lightly squeezing the armrests of the chair she was sitting in. _If you want to see those things again, you should probably wait for him._

She diverted her attention back to the control panel of the shuttle, quickly scanned the vital readings and double checking that it was in good condition to fly. Much to her relief, she noticed that the fuel container was full.

Content with the current state of the vessel, she moved to prepare the coordinates for their jump into hyperspace. Rubbing her forehead in contemplation, she thought for a moment before settling on a small planet that, when she checked the map, was relatively close by. “Should be able to make that in one jump,” she muttered to herself as she finalized their destination.

Standing up, but leaving the ship on and running, Ahsoka jogged back down the ramp of the ship, hanging on one of the support rails as she leaned out into the room.

“G-G!” She called to the idle droid who was stationed by Cheeps at the door. “I need you to prepare to open the entrance to the hangar bay!”

The astromech whistled in confirmation, wheeling over to the door opposite of Cheeps.

Ahsoka drummed her fingers nervously on the metal support rod she was holding, humming impatiently.

“ _Come on,”_ she mumbled under her breath, looking at her commlink expectantly. “Where are you?”

A few agonizing minutes passed, Ahsoka’s heart pounding so hard she thought it would break free from her chest. Beneath her, the ground shook and rumbled as the ship reeled from Maul’s destruction of the hyperdrive.

 _Kriff_ , Ahsoka cursed as a particularly powerful wave reverberated through the hull. She had to wrap both of her arms around the support of the landing ramp to prevent herself from toppling over. _He must’ve really done a number on the ship with that little stunt of his._

In the distance, Ahsoka could hear the sounds of blaster shots and yelling clones rapidly approach. They continued to increase in volume until they were practically outside the door to the shuttle’s holding cell. Right on cue, the commlink on Ahsoka’s wrist lit up with an incoming transmission.

“I’m here.”

“Sounds like you brought the whole cavalry with you,” she dryly responded.

“Shut up and open the door,” he growled venomously through the connection. 

Ahsoka abruptly shut off the link and yelled down the ramp at the astromech stationed by the door. “Cheeps! Open it up!”

The door slid back to reveal a handful of clones shooting at something down the hallway, only to be swept off their feet and flung backwards by an invisible push. Ahsoka’s breath caught in her throat as she saw Maul sprint into the holding cell, his metal legs clanking loudly against the floor.

Tearing her gaze away from his menacing figure, she turned to the other end of the room. “G-G!” She yelled over the blaster fire. “The door, open the door!”

Not waiting to see if the astromech heard her, she ran back into the ship, practically falling into the pilot’s chair as she shifted gears. She switched the lever to close the loading ramp, hoping that Maul had been given enough time to make it onto the ship. Hands clamped on the steering controls of the ship, she lifted the shuttle off of the ground and out the doors of the holding cell.

 _Thanks guys,_ she projected to the two astromechs that stayed behind, feeling immense gratitude towards their help and devotion. Steering the ship out into the wide, empty space of the hangar bay, Ahsoka was pleased to see that the main doors to the huge room were completely open, right on schedule. 

What she wasn’t pleased to see, however, was the huge moon that the ship was heading straight for.

 _They’re going to crash_ , she realized with a pit of dread. _The ship is going to crash._

Pushing the thought out of her head, she refocused on the task at hand. Increasing the thrust, she urged the ship forward, sailing towards the entrance. It was going smoothly, and they had almost exited the ship bay when the shuttle abruptly stopped. Ahsoka lurched forward, the handles of the ship’s controls digging sharply into her chest. Coughing, her eyes widened as she felt the ship slowly start to be pulled backwards.

“Maul! They have us in a tractor beam!” she shouted over her shoulder, wildly shifting gears and diverting the power of the ship to the fuel cells to try and break free through sheer force. She pushed forward on the controls of the shuttle, but they didn’t budge from their suspended spot.

Running out of time and options, Ahsoka hastily flipped the switch that lowered the loading ramp. “You have to take out the source of the beams!” she yelled to the back of the ship. “Otherwise they’ll pull us back in!”

Ahsoka continued to push the ship forward until the end of the steering apparatus was pressed into the metal dashboard. Gritting her teeth, she adjusted her hands so that she could tap the commlink on without interrupting her unrelenting grip on the shuttle. “You better hold onto something,” she said into the communication device. “The moment we break free we are going to be jetting out of here _fast_.” 

There was no response, and Ahsoka’s breathing hitched. The high-pitched whine of the engines roared in the cockpit, composing a deafening symphony that screamed in her head.

 _Come on Maul_ , she silently pleaded. _Get us out of here._

Their suspended position was held for a few more long, drawn out moments, until, like the snapping of a rubber band, the shuttle ripped free from the hold of the tractor beam. Quickly flipping the switch to close the loading ramp, Ahsoka’s body pressed roughly into the back of the seat as the craft tore out from the hangar bay, speeding through open doors and into empty space. Directing the vessel into a shallow bank, Ahsoka piloted them out and away from the wide berth of the crashing debris. As she turned the shuttle around, Ahsoka couldn’t help but gasp when she saw the condition of the ship they had just been on.

It was in flames, a heavy trail of smoke and shrapnel following the main body. She watched in horror as large chunks fragmented and broke off before her eyes, the pieces hurtling towards the marbled surface of the moon as it got drawn into its strong gravitational pull.

Noticing that she was drifting dangerously close to the flaming wreckage of the crashing ship, Ahsoka veered away, directing the craft further out into empty space. Fearing that at any moment, a squad of clones would fly out to pursue them, Ahsoka hurriedly readied the shuttle for the jump into hyperspace. Orienting the ship so that it aligned with the direction of their coordinates, Ahsoka wasted no time pulling the lever. Ahead of her, the stars morphed into blue streaks, and the carnage behind them melted away.

They were free. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaaaaand we're finally out of the reworked section!
> 
> Thanks for making it this far, from here on out we're ready to fully dive into this AU!


	3. Mistrust

Ahsoka’s hands clenched at the steering handles of the shuttle so hard that she was worried she might snap the controls in two. _We made it,_ she thought in disbelief. _We actually made it._

She didn’t know if she wanted to celebrate or cry. On one hand, _she was still alive._ However, on the other….

She had left her men for dead.

Rex. He was still on the ship when they had made the jump.

He had sacrificed himself for her, and now he was gone.

_No, don’t think like that. Rex is a skilled soldier… I’m sure he found a way to evacuate safely._

Despite her attempts to convince herself that Rex was still alive, Ahsoka couldn’t completely dismiss the feeling that he was dead, killed in the inevitable crash of the destroyed ship. Rex may have been resourceful, but the odds had not been in his favor.

 _Blast!_ Ahsoka mentally cursed. _If only Maul hadn’t decided to bring the ship out of hyperspace by destroying the hyperdrive…._

Maul. He was still in the ship with her. Of course, what did she think was going to happen, that he would just magically disappear when she didn’t need him anymore?

Ahsoka stiffened, realizing that in the entire time she had been thinking about Rex, Maul could’ve easily snuck up and killed her. In a blind panic, she reached out with the Force to try and sense where he was. Lightly brushing against his Force signature, she felt him sitting on a hard, metal bench in the main hull of the shuttle, his dark persona subdued and dormant. Not being able to detect any immediate danger, she withdrew her probing tendrils, returning her mind to the cockpit of the ship.

Momentarily satisfied, but still determined to not let her guard down, Ahsoka sat rigidly in the pilot’s seat with her consciousness expanded; close enough to sense Maul but just out of reach so that she wasn’t in direct contact with him.

She sat like that for over an hour before she finally felt him shift, a quiet wave of restlessness rippling through the Force. Ahsoka’s eyes widened in fear for a moment before she realized that he hadn’t physically moved, and was still sitting in the central hall of the shuttle. She was content to ignore him and stay seated in the cockpit, but a few minutes later, she felt a new, fresh wave of his agitation brush at the edge of her consciousness.

 _Fine_ , Ahsoka thought, clenching her jaw as she switched the ship into autopilot mode. _I’ll go entertain his antics._

Truthfully, she was motivated by a small nugget of fear lodged in her chest. She found herself worried that the longer she waited to confront Maul, the more likely it would be that he attempted to slaughter her. If she just went and talked to him, kept him placated for the duration of their journey, her chances of leaving the ship alive would be much greater.

Ahsoka’s hand shadowed his lightsaber hilt still strapped to her belt as she exited the cockpit, cautiously walking down the narrow corridor of the ship. Passing by a few doors that led to private rooms, she entered the central holding of the shuttle. Lined by minimalist metal slabs that served as seating, she found Maul sitting on a bench on the far left, hunched over with his elbows resting on his knees.

Noticing her enter the room, he stood up, idly straightening out his tunic. Ahsoka stopped, guardedly surveying him as he adjusted the cuffs of his gloves.

“Lady Tano,” he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Ahsoka crossed her arms indignantly. “Save it, Maul. I just wanted to make sure that you weren’t plotting to kill me.”

He sighed, though the noise was more harsh than defeated. “I figured as much.” Turning away from her, he returned to sitting on the bench. “Well? Run along now. No murderous intent here. Feel free to see yourself out, no point in staying any longer than you need to, right?”

He shifted his body so that one leg was tucked up against his body and another was extended straight out across the floor. The movement caused the two objects at his belt to briefly catch the light, the flash of metal prompting Ahsoka to narrow her eyes. 

“My sabers,” she said, holding out a hand. “I believe those belong to me.”

Maul graced her with a mild sneer. “Yes, of course. And I believe _that_ —” he pointed at his own hilt hanging at her side, “—belongs to _me_.”

Ahsoka glared at him, lifting the heavy hilt with one hand and holding it out in front of her body as if it burned to the touch. “If I return this to you, do you promise not to kill me with it?”

He rolled his eyes dramatically. “ _Yes_. I’ve already told you I have no plans to do such a thing. That hasn’t changed since the last time we spoke.”

“Very well,” Ahsoka relented, walking over to him with some reluctance. He did not stand back up to meet her, instead simply watching her from his seat on the bench as she approached him. Tilting his head back to meet her eyes as she stood over him, he wordlessly removed her saber hilts from his belt and offered them up to her. His other hand was held up expectantly, waiting for her to return his weapon into his possession.

Holding her breath, Ahsoka deposited the double-bladed saber into his opened palm and quickly snatched her own hilts from where they rested in his hand. Swiftly taking a few steps back to restore a comfortable distance between them, she stood at the center of the of the room, body on edge and ready to fight if Maul showed any signs of aggression.

He paid her no mind, and after a moment of tension, Ahsoka allowed herself to relax, attention turning to the familiar shape and weight of her sabers resting in her hands. They were warm to the touch, giving her a stark reminder of whose ownership they had just been in. Holding them up critically, she darted her eyes between the two hilts and Maul.

“Did you…?”

Maul caught on to her unspoken question, shaking his head. “No, rest assured, I honored your petty request. In fact, I didn’t even ignite them. Do with that what you will.”

 _He didn’t even use them?_ Ahsoka thought in bewilderment. _Then how did he manage to destroy the hyperdrive?_

Deciding that she really didn’t want to know, Ahsoka turned to leave. “I’m going to go pilot the ship. Let me know if you need anything,” she called over her shoulder.

“Wait.”

She paused, looking back at Maul. He was holding out his hand. She quirked an eyebrow at him, looking him up and down. “Yes?”

“Your commlink,” he explained impatiently, beckoning with his fingers for her to give it to him.

Ahsoka unstrapped the device from her wrist and tossed it over to him, seeking to maintain the generous space that separated them. “What about it?”

Wordlessly, Maul plucked the communicator out of the air and dropped it on the ground, stepping on the piece of tech with the heel of his metal foot. It cracked and popped under the heavy weight, Ahsoka flinching as she heard it shatter.

“What did you do that for?” she demanded, looking at the crushed commlink with dismay. Why did he feel the need to be so destructive? It had been in perfect working order!

Maul detached his own communicator from his wrist and dropped it on the floor, repeating the same process. “They could have tracking devices in them. The last thing we want is to be followed and targeted the moment we drop out of hyperspace.”

Ahsoka curled her lip, knowing that he was right, but not wanting to give him the satisfaction of admitting it. “You better clean that up,” she said haughtily, turning on her heel to exit the cabin.

Not waiting for his response, Ahsoka made her way back to the cockpit, plopping down into the pilot’s seat with a sigh of exhaustion. Calling that interaction stressful would be the understatement of the millennia. No matter how many times he repeated that he had no desire to kill her, she had a hard time completely relaxing around him. He was a Sith; a lying, manipulative embodiment of the atrocities of the dark side. There was no way she would ever fully trust him.

 _At least I got these back_ , she thought absentmindedly, turning the saber hilts over in her palms. Their grip was familiar and comforting, molded to fit perfectly in the size and curves of her hands.

Clipping them back to their rightful place on her belt, Ahsoka returned her attention to the controls of the ship. Shutting the autopilot off, she switched back over to manual mode. As she looked out the front window of the cockpit, she slowly zoned out, keeping subtle tabs on her passenger who still sat in the back of the shuttle.

They were about halfway to their destination when she felt Maul’s presence in the Force swell again.

 _What now?_ She silently cursed in exasperation. Couldn’t he just wait patiently until they arrived at their destination?

To her alarm, she sensed him move through the ship, heading straight toward where she sat at the front. Swallowing her panic, Ahsoka quickly scanned his Force signature. It didn’t feel any darker than normal, and she couldn’t sense any aggression or bloodlust emanating from his presence. Still, the knowledge did little to calm her, and she bristled in her seat, skin prickling with anticipation.

She heard the door behind her open with a smooth hiss, but Maul made no move to enter the room, choosing to remain by the entrance. She could feel his eyes boring holes in the back of her skull as she kept her gaze trained on the view before her, not bothering to turn to greet him.

“Where are we going?” He asked, his voice ringing through the small cockpit.

“You’ll find out when we get there,” Ahsoka responded levelly, still facing forward as she answered. She wanted him to leave.

Unfortunately for her, he did the opposite. She felt him approach the pilot’s chair from the entrance to the cramped room, placing a heavy hand on the headrest of the seat and leaning down slightly to read the coordinates over her shoulder. Ahsoka felt her muscles involuntarily tense up, consciously forcing herself to resist visibly flinching away from his proximity.

It took him a moment to find what he was looking for, but when he did, she was immediately made aware of his displeasure.

“A—wha— _Ambria?!_ ” Maul exclaimed incredulously. “Why in the _hell_ would you want to take us to Ambria?”

Ahsoka winced at his outburst. He had a point; Ambria was a remote desert planet of little importance. It was only notable for it’s mining industry, which in itself was pretty insignificant. It was not a very large planet, with a small population and few cities. Although it barely showed up on most standard maps, Ahsoka was hoping that would work to their advantage.

She gritted her teeth, choosing to focus on the light streaks illuminating the cockpit rather than Maul’s fiery glare as he hovered over her shoulder. “It _is_ part of a trade route,” she defended weakly.

“If by ‘trade route,’ you are referring to the _sorry_ excuse that is the Lesser Lantillian route, then I’m afraid that’s not a very good reason,” Maul retorted, voice laced with disapproval.

Ahsoka scoffed, throwing her arms in the air in exasperation. “We’re on the run! What, you want to go to a more populated planet? One connected to a better trade route? Yeah, let me just change the coordinates and take us to Coruscant instead!”

Out of the corner of her eye, Ahsoka watched Maul withdraw and move to lean against the metal door frame, crossing his arms. “Whatever,” he huffed. “The sooner we leave the planet, the better.”

Ahsoka stiffened, her grip on the steering handles of the ship tightening until her knuckles turned white. “We?”

“Lady Tano, when I asked you to join me, I thought it was pretty clear that it would be a long-term arrangement,” Maul responded tightly.

Ahsoka didn’t respond, eyes still locked on the cockpit window, looking out into hyperspace. Her stomach sunk with the realization of what she had agreed to. In the moment, in the heat of the heavy betrayal on the ship, she had been desperate, not thinking clearly. She should have meditated on her predicament, instead of acting on impulse.

 _Meditated?_ She thought cynically to herself. _With what time? You did what you had to do, there was no other choice._

But had there been another choice? A tinge of doubt crept into the back of her mind, that there were other options that would not have led to her to abandon her men, to her being in a ship with _Darth Maul,_ of all people.

 _Like what?_ The tiny voice in her head challenged her. Her men literally attacked her. They had tried to execute her, turning their blaster fire on her and there was nothing she could do to stop it. There were few allies that she could have turned to for help on that ship, and Force knows that she would not have made it out alive on her own. Yet even so, deciding to work together with a ruthless Sith Lord was certainly not how she envisioned her day ending.

She didn’t even want to know how many people Maul had killed when they had briefly split up. In fact, knowing him, he probably went out of his way to kill as many clones as he could, even if it was without her lightsabers. Deep down, she knew the true reason that she sent him to bring the ship out of hyperspace; not only because she didn’t trust him to find a ship without abandoning her, but because she knew that she would not have been able to fight, and Force forbid _kill_ , those that stood in her way. Sneaking around with her little gang of droids to find a shuttle was manageable, as she had only encountered a few clones and dealing with them had been easy enough. She may have knocked some of them unconscious, but they had otherwise been unharmed.

At least, until the ship crashed.

 _My men,_ Ahsoka thought, suddenly sick to her stomach. _They’re… gone._

It wasn’t until she felt a faint ache in her knuckles that she realized how hard her hands were clenched around the ship’s controls. She abruptly loosened her grip and took a deep breath. She was spiraling. She had to get out of there and cool down.

Ahsoka briefly checked the console. “We have a few hours until we reach our destination,” she informed Maul, who looked bored out of his mind and completely oblivious to Ahsoka being on the brink of a mental breakdown. “I think… I think I need to go meditate. Would you mind…?” She gestured to the controls in front of the pilot’s seat, unable to find it within herself to complete the request.

Not dignifying her with an answer, Maul made a simple shooing motion with his hand, prompting Ahsoka to give up her seat.

“Thanks,” she said, feeling slightly foolish at extending any form of politeness towards the Sith. Deny it as she may, all that time spent around C-3P0 with his uptight mannerisms and enforcement of proper 'protocol' had really rubbed off on her.

Squeezing past Maul and pointedly avoiding eye contact, Ahsoka hastily retreated to the back of the shuttle. She rubbed her eyes vigorously, trying to clear the streaking blue visions of the hyperlane out of the back of her mind. Desiring some privacy, or at least as much as she could get in the cramped ship, Ahsoka entered the small bed chamber, where a few bunks were embedded into the wall.

She settled on the floor of the room, crossing her legs neatly and closing her eyes. She let out a deep sigh, trying desperately to clear her mind and center herself in the room, on the ship. She focused on her breathing, the steady rise and fall of her shoulders slowly calming her.

 _What happened, has happened,_ Ahsoka’s thoughts whispered, a quiet mantra she repeated to herself. _Focus on the present. Focus on the future._

Slowly, she fell into a peaceful trance, losing herself to the Force. Battling the urge to acknowledge the powerful feelings that swelled up in her chest, she tried to center herself around her heartbeat, it’s steady pace like a metronome in the quiet whirlwind of her mind.

 _Your men are dead,_ the intrusive voice whispered, _you failed to protect them._

_You are a failure._

Ahsoka’s eyes flew open. “No!” she gasped.

 _It is not your fault_ , she tried to convince herself, fighting against the voice. _Those were your brothers. But those were not your men._

 _Yes,_ she continued to think, settling back into her meditative state. _This must’ve been the work of Darth Sidious… his plan that Maul was talking about._

Maul. Not for the first time that day, Ahsoka’s mind wandered back to the conundrum that was her fellow passenger aboard the ship. Despite his insistence that they work together, Ahsoka was _very_ wary of him. Dark-siders were notoriously untrustworthy, their trademark trait literally being betrayal and treachery. She wasn’t entirely convinced that Maul wanted to genuinely work with her, and that she wouldn’t end up dead at his hands. No, she knew better than to believe his lies and manipulations.

_But he was right about Sidious’ plan. He tried to warn you._

Ahsoka scowled in annoyance. Warn her or not, he was obviously doing it to save himself. He was selfish. Ahsoka happened to be in the right place at the right time, and she _refused_ to give Maul the benefit of the doubt, to fully trust him. He was just going to use her, just like he used everyone else around him.

 _I will not be a pawn in his game,_ Ahsoka thought in fierce defiance. _And I will not blindly trust him._

Her mind set, Ahsoka returned to her meditation, this time able to successfully quell the turmoil of her thoughts and slip into a deep trance.


	4. Night in Ambria

Ahsoka was bluntly awoken from her reflection when she felt the ship exit hyperspace, the room around her lurching violently and jerking her mind back into her body. Quickly overcoming her surprise, Ahsoka exited the room and made her way to the front of the ship, where Maul sat in the pilot’s seat, right where she had left him. He did not acknowledge her as she entered the cabin and sat in the co-pilot’s seat, his legs propped up lazily on the dashboard while she settled in and prepared to assist with the landing.

Ahsoka watched silently as Ambria came into view. The small planet was colored with rich swirls of yellow and orange, pale clouds sparsely scattered across the atmosphere.

It looked underwhelming and deserted.

It was perfect.

Feeling rather pleased with her choice in destination, despite Maul’s petty protests, Ahsoka leaned back in her chair and smirked self-indulgently to herself. This planet would be an ideal place to regroup, stock up, and then scatter deep into the outer rim. They would have to be quick, as the longer they waited to leave, the more difficult it would be to disappear. Cooperation would be a necessity.

 _Or better yet,_ Ahsoka conspired to herself, _I could_ _ditch Maul and go off on my own._

At the thought of Maul, she subtly looked over at him, suddenly becoming aware of the silence that stretched between them. He was deep in concentration, his piercing golden eyes studying the rapidly-approaching planet with obvious disgust. His face was contorted in a faint scowl, though Ahsoka couldn’t tell if it was reflective of his sentiments towards their destination or just his natural face exacerbated by the fierce lines of his tattoos.

Loathe as she was to admit it, Maul would be a powerful ally. The galaxy was a large, dangerous place, especially without the support of her friends or the Jedi order. From a tactical, survival standpoint, the smartest move would be to stick with the Sith.

_But the moment he gives me any reason to doubt him, I’ll be gone._

Momentarily satisfied, Ahsoka returned her attention to the Ambria, the planet being close enough where she could start to make out finer details on its surface.

“Prepare to enter the atmosphere. Divert power to the front shields.” Maul’s voice was cool and commanding.

Ahsoka wordlessly followed his command, and then strapped herself into the seat. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Maul’s piloting capabilities, she just preferred to not be tossed around the cabin like a sack of loose change.

Eyes narrowed and mouth set in a hard, thin line, Maul guided the ship smoothly through the hazy yellow atmosphere of the planet and down to it’s surface. Gliding over the uneven desert terrain, the shuttle followed a steep trajectory to descend into the sprawling city that gradually emerged from the arid smog.

The space port was the main hub for the planet, serving as the capital city and primary stop for ships docking in Ambria along the Lesser Lantillian Trade Route. As far as Ahsoka was concerned, the planet was mostly bypassed by ships running the hyperlane, but its output of minerals and other resources from the mines littered across the planet's vast, rocky surface warranted at least one central trading post.

Maul directed the shuttle to the docking station on the outskirts of the space port, a flat, sandy expanse dotted with ships that, in Ahsoka’s opinion, looked like pieces of trash and scrap. Lowering the craft onto an empty lot, Maul parked them on the surface with a rough, shuddering touchdown. Upon ensuring that the ship was secured, he began powering it down, the instruments hissing and whining as he switched them off. 

“Okay, we’re here. Now what?” Ahsoka didn’t mean for her voice to sound so impatient, but being out of the blanketing comfort of space had her on edge. She was anxious.

Maul continued to flip switches off, checking the readings of the vessel’s systems. “We should probably start with getting a new ship,” he growled. “For a Republic shuttle, this thing is a piece of junk.”

Ahsoka nodded in agreement, though for a different reason. “You’re right, we wouldn’t want anybody tracking this ship. Swapping it out would be a good move.”

“We’ll sell this ship and use the credits to buy another.” Maul drummed his fingers against the console. “We also need supplies and money.”

He abruptly got out of his seat and began to make his way to the back of the shuttle. Ahsoka sighed as she unstrapped from herself from her seat, double checking that the ship was fully shut down and parked before following him a few moments later. She found him rummaging in the closet of the bedchamber, back hunched as he perused through its sparse contents. She put her hands on her hips, eyeing him warily. “What exactly are you doing?”

After a few more seconds of rifling around, Maul pulled back, tossing a gray garment at her in a bundled heap. Catching it with one hand, Ahsoka briefly studied the cloth, feeling its texture under her fingertips. Unfurling it, she realized it was a hooded cloak.

Looking up, she saw that Maul had already put on a black one, his frame completely concealed by the thick, dark folds. “We wouldn’t want to be recognized, now would we?” He fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve, fully pulling it over his gloved hand. “Not to mention,” he looked up, locking eyes with her. “you aren’t the most inconspicuous figure, Lady Tano.”

Ahsoka scowled, pulling the cloak over her head and navigating her arms through the material. He was right, of course, but she didn’t want to admit it. “You could say the same for yourself, _Darth Maul_.”

Instead of taking offense like she thought he would, he merely scoffed. “That is why I will be keeping my hood up, and my head down.” His cloak fully on, he turned to face her. Her stomach dropped as she regarded his figure, trying to swallow the panic that rose into her throat. Engulfed in the swaths of black fabric, he looked very menacing and very, well, Sith-like. It was a stark reminder of who she was working with, and the dangers associated with being so close to a dark-side user of the Force.

Not wanting Maul to catch on to her somewhat irrational fear of him (she reminded herself that she had, in fact, technically beat him in their lightsaber duel), Ahsoka abruptly changed the subject. “Of course you took the black and gave me the gray,” she snipped.

“Gray’s not really my color,” he said, the corners of his lips pulling up slightly in the ghost of a smirk. “And besides, that cloak looked like it was the only one with a hood big enough to fit those enormous montrals of yours.” 

Initially taken aback by the insult, Ahsoka was surprised to realize that he was attempting to get a rise out of her. Feeling a little self-conscious, she quickly covered her insecurity by laughing sharply in disbelief. “Hey, at least my montrals won’t rip through the fabric of my hood, unlike those _unsightly_ horns of yours.”

She could see Maul give her a snide side eye as they exited the room and began walking down the loading ramp. “You may be surprised to learn that that has never happened,” he quipped coolly.

“Well, _you_ may be surprised to learn that there is a first for everything.” 

“The day that my horns rip through _any_ article of clothing is the day that I admit that coming to Ambria was a good idea.”

Ahsoka was about to snap back about how Ambria was literally the best place in the galaxy they could be in the moment, when she noticed the dimming sky as they emerged from the ship and stepped out into the open air.

“Kriff,” she exclaimed, “it’s already evening here! How are we going to get our supplies now?”

Maul looked at the sky, and then studied the surrounding port, squinting his eyes to see through the impending darkness. “It looks like the shipyard’s main operating office is closed,” he mused. “We’ll have to wait until the next rotation to sell our transport.”

Ahsoka sighed in mild disappointment, turning to head back up the ramp. “If that’s the case, then it’s best we get some rest.”

Maul crossed his arms, glaring at Ahsoka as she started to return to the ship. “And where do you think you’re going?” he asked tersely.

“To sleep on the ship?” Ahsoka hated the way that she phrased it as a question, almost as if she were asking permission. _Be more assertive, damnit!_ she scolded herself.

Maul shook his head, turning back to look out at the twilight sky. “No, that would be a foolish idea. We don’t want to be anywhere near this ship, for if anyone recognizes it, intentionally or not, and we are aboard it, we will be cornered and killed. Yes, we must leave it here for the night and go into the city, make ourselves scarce. That way, if anybody is looking for us, they’ll have a more difficult time succeeding.”

Ahsoka folded her arms and returned to his side on the ground. Spotting a small maintenance droid, she called it over, feeling Maul’s intense gaze study her as she spoke to it. “Hi, excuse me? Can you please give us directions to the nearest, cheapest lodging?”

The droid nodded and emitted a series of beeps, setting down the crate of tools it was carrying to point towards the main entrance of the shipyard.

Ahsoka smiled, standing up. “Thank you,” she said, turning back to Maul. “It’s not too far from here, just a few streets over.”

Maul dipped his head, holding out his left arm in a gesture towards the city. “By all means, Lady Tano, lead the way.”

Clamping her mouth shut to prevent herself from rudely telling him to stop calling her that, Ahsoka turned and made her way towards the entrance of the docking bay. Maul quickened his pace to match hers so that they were walking side by side, black and gray figures blending in with the twilight shadows that had descended over the bustling trading port.

Out on the streets, the city became alive around them. Bright lights were strung between the buildings, illuminating the passerby’s faces underneath and casting harsh shadows. The streets were packed with people, Ahsoka finding her shoulders pressing against Maul’s to avoid being separated from him as they pushed through the surging crowd. The dirt walkway was lined with towering adobe buildings and vendor stalls parked in front of them. They were all manned and open, each selling various wares. Rich smells of food and spices drifted through the air, causing Ahsoka’s stomach to grumble and her mind unable to remember the last time that she ate. After they figured out where they were staying, she would ask Maul if he wanted to get something to eat, as she wasn’t interested in waiting until the next rotation to grab a meal.

After a few minutes of forcing their way through the thick throng of people populating the streets, Ahsoka recognized the avenue the maintenance droid had told her where she would find a cheap hotel to rent a room in. She grabbed Maul’s shoulder, pointing down the intersecting street. “The droid said it was right down here.”

Scanning the signs on the buildings surrounding them, Ahsoka brightened when she saw the sign labelling the hotel they were looking for. _Kimaa Port Lodge_ , it simply read. The building itself appeared to be rundown and dilapidated, matching the atmosphere of the rest of the street.

As they entered the hotel, whose interior was as poorly maintained as the exterior, Ahsoka abruptly realized that, unless Maul was secretly carrying credits on him, they didn’t have any money. She was about to turn to her partner to ask him what they should do, when she felt something heavy jostle about in the folds of her cloak. Attention drawn to the weight resting in her pocket, Ahsoka reached in and felt the cool, metal touch of Republic credits. Fingering the ingots graciously left by the previous owner of her gray garment, she quickly identified the values of the bars by tracing the light inscriptions on their surface. She pulled out two twenty piece credits, saving the rest of the smaller valued ingots for later.

“What will this get us?” she asked the desk receptionist, placing the credits on the counter.

Scratching his waddle idly, the beefy Besalisk behind the counter looked away from the holozine he had been scrolling through, briefly apprehending Maul and Ahsoka’s shrouded frames. Looking down at the credits placed before him on the counter, he eyed the money with disdain. “It’ll get you our cheapest room,” he said gruffly, reaching down behind the counter with one of his four thick arms. He slammed a card key on the tabletop.

Before Ahsoka could respond, or even protest that she would prefer to have two rooms, Maul pushed the two credit pieces towards the man behind the counter and swept the card off the table. “We’ll take it,” he said.

The desk receptionist nodded and leaned back into his chair, returning his attention to the holozine he had been reading. “Third floor, second door on the left.” With a free hand, he pointed at the staircase on the opposite side of the lobby.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Maul said smoothly with a borderline cynical, biting undertone. Turning away, he began to head towards the stairs.

Ahsoka was close behind, hurrying to keep up. “ _Maul,_ wait a second,” she called after him as they began to scale the steps. “ _Wait,_ let’s talk about this.”

She wasn’t going to deny it. She did not want to stay in the same room as that wild, unpredictable creature. The thought made her immensely uncomfortable. She found herself unable to trust him to not try and kill her during the night, despite his insistence that he had no intentions on doing so. Furthermore, she was tired and wanted to rest. There was no chance that she would get _any_ sleep with him so close and unrestrained.

Maul didn’t wait or listen to her. She found herself protesting on deaf ears as they walked up the stairs and down the hall, up until the two of them were standing in front of the door to their room.

“Maul. _Answer me.”_

He finally paused, sighing dramatically as her turned towards her. “Yes, Lady Tano?” For the first time since she had been with him, he sounded tired and defeated. 

Slightly hesitating at the tone of his voice, Ahsoka crossed her arms petulantly, pursing her lips in unspoken question and dissent.

Maul seemed to understand her wordless objection and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “What, is this about sharing a room? It shouldn’t be anything new to you, _Jedi._ It’s cheap, and we’ll only be here for one night. Besides, this way I can make sure you don’t try to run off.” At this, he successfully scanned the card chip on the reader next to the doorframe, the handle unlocking with a soft _click._

Her arms still crossed in stubborn dissatisfaction, Ahsoka peered into the small room as the door swung open, immediately taking note of its dinginess. The floors were scuffed and dirty, the only source of light being from a filthy window that filtered in a golden glow from the street. The room was sparsely furnished, with only a squat table and a small, musty bed being found in its interior. The presence of one bed filled Ahsoka with a sense of uneasiness and dread, her stomach twisting in an uncomfortable knot.

Maul regarded the room with disgust, similarly noticing the single bed before grunting dismissively. “I’ll take the floor,” he stated, casting his cloak in a haphazard heap on the floor next to the wall opposing the rusty metal frame.

Ahsoka followed him into the room, sitting on the bed. It creaked beneath her weight, a thick cloud of dust billowing up from the disturbance. She coughed violently. “Wanna trade?” She offered scornfully, shifting around on the thin mattress and feeling the sharp metal bars poke at her body. The blanket was flimsy and had several holes in it, a fitting companion to the desolate state of the room.

Maul leaned up against the wall, watching her fidget on the bed and try to find a comfortable place to sit. “I think I’ll stick with my spot on the floor, thank you very much,” he sneered in response, lightly kicking at his thick black coat with the tip of his boot.

“This has to be a new low,” Ahsoka mumbled under her breath. As a Jedi, she had been used to simple living. But this, this was a whole other level of pathetic.

Still grumbling to herself, Ahsoka fished out the remaining credits from her pocket and placed them on the table positioned by the bed. She angled them in the light so that she could read their values. It was small change, but it would have to do. The fact that there were leftover credits in the pocket of her borrowed cloak was a stroke of dumb luck; it was admittedly pretty foolish of her to leave the shuttle without checking for money first.

“How much money do we have?” Maul’s question cut through her line of thought.

Ahsoka sighed, shaking her head. “Not much,” she said dejectedly. “It might be enough to get us a meal, but not nearly enough for any worthwhile supplies.”

Maul hummed in response. “We’ll have to run to the bank tomorrow. This is a Republic planet, correct? Or, I suppose I should say, was?”

Ahsoka snapped her head up to look at him in disbelief. “The bank? What are we going to do, steal credits?”

Maul walked over towards the table, golden eyes glinting dangerously in the dimness of the room. He picked up one of the ingots between his gloved fingers, lifting it up so he could study it. “The thought is tempting, but, truth be told, I don’t think I have the energy to embark on such a heist. No, I have a personal account through the Republic that we can withdraw funds from.” He twisted the metal bar so that it reflected the low light from the window. Noticing Ahsoka’s stare of distrust, he continued, saying, “I’ve been secretly funneling money from my… business ventures… into an account for emergencies such as this.”

“Business ventures?” Ahsoka deadpanned, shooting him a withering look she normally reserved for Anakin when he was acting up.

“Perfectly legal, harmless business ventures,” Maul agreed sarcastically, finally putting down the credit he was holding to face Ahsoka.

She craned her neck to look up at him from her position seated on the bed. “And how exactly are you going to get that money without people noticing that it’s you? Without anyone being able to trace us to this planet?”

“You must think me to be a fool.” He glared at Ahsoka. “Of course I have a false name and identification. It’s really not that difficult to accomplish, anyone can do it.”

“Whatever,” Ahsoka exhaled in exasperation. “As long as we’re not caught…”

“We won’t be caught,” Maul said dismissively, cutting her off. “I know what I’m doing.”

Ahsoka huffed uncertainly, leaning back on the bed so that she was resting against the wall. Her stomach growled, loud enough for Maul to look at it in mild questioning. “I’m hungry,” she said, cheeks darkening slightly.

Instead of insulting her like she expected, Maul nodded in agreement. “Make that two of us.” He scooped up the credits in one hand and held it out in offering to Ahsoka. Unsure of what to do, she cautiously lifted her hand and he deposited them in her palm, fingers encased in leather brushing against her skin to ensure that they stayed in her grasp and didn’t spill out onto the floor.

Puzzled by this uncharacteristic display of kindness, Ahsoka pocketed them in the folds of her cloak. “You can keep your petty credits,” Maul explained. “The amount of credits I will obtain tomorrow will make these look like nothing. They will be obsolete.”

 _Of course_ , Ahsoka thought somewhat bitterly to herself at his haughty explanation. _Just when I thought he was becoming somewhat tolerable._

Working with Maul was going to be unbelievably difficult, and Ahsoka, tired as she was, was rapidly doubting her ability to rise to the challenge.

“I think we should be able to afford to grab something cheap to eat from one of the street vendors,” she suggested, tallying up the amount of credits they possessed in the back of her mind.

In response, Maul summoned his cloak through the Force from its disheveled pile on the ground and into his hand. “Cheap street food. You never cease to amaze me, Lady Tano.”

Ahsoka pointedly ignored his intentional ribbing and pulled her hood up, watching Maul do the same. Leaving the confines of their room, the two made their way out the doors of the hotel in silence, venturing into the main street.

Whereas earlier, Ahsoka had tried not to notice the rich, meaty smells of the spices and food that wafted through the streets, she now embraced it, inhaling the pungent scents with excited vigor. There was so much commotion, even after the sun had set, with the shopkeepers all clamoring for their attention. The crowd swelled about them, the noises and smells an assault on the senses.

Ahsoka leaned over so that she was closer to Maul’s ear, allowing him to hear her over the racket. “See anything you like?” she asked as she surveyed their surroundings.

Maul paused, similarly scanning the stalls that lined the street. After a moment, he gestured towards one a few stands down, where a particularly enticing scent was coming from. “That one looks promising.”

Ahsoka nodded in agreement, the pair making their way over to the vendor.

Pushing their way through a cluster of people, Ahsoka and Maul found themselves in front of the stand, pressed against the counter. Layers of skewered meat sat in front of them, and it took all of Ahsoka’s willpower to prevent her mouth from watering as she beheld them. Looking over at Maul, she noticed a hungry look in his eyes, one that almost certainly reflected her own. 

The shopkeeper manning the stand looked her up and down, sharpening a large knife. “What can I do you for, little lady?” He asked gruffly, biceps rippling as he keened the edge of the blade.

Confirming the prices of the skewers with him, Ahsoka picked out two pieces that looked satisfying and hearty, and Maul did the same. After the shopkeeper wrapped them in a thin protective paper, she exchanged them for her credits, leaving only a measly few behind to jangle in her pocket. With their dinner in hand, the two made their way off to the side of the stand, stopping in a small nook where they could eat in peace while still being able to watch the bustling nighttime market.

It felt oddly… domestic. Yes, that was the word Ahsoka was looking for to describe this surreal scenario. Purchasing food with her former enemy, eating in somewhat pleasant silence as they watched the life bustle around them. For the first time since their escape, Ahsoka felt somewhat content. The feelings of despair and dread that had constantly been bubbling beneath the surface of her fragile, calm exterior, had temporarily been placated. All she could acknowledge was the food in her mouth and the man beside her.

Thoughts drawn towards Maul, Ahsoka snuck a glance at him. He looked very human. Well, not _human_ , so to speak, but moreso less of a monster. Eating his food, he just looked like a regular guy. Monsters don’t carefully nibble at the edges of meat on a skewer so that none of it slides off and onto the ground.

Monsters don’t offer to take the floor instead of immediately claiming the only bed.

_Monsters don’t refer to you as ‘Lady Tano.’_

Ahsoka mentally shook herself. It was less than a rotation, and she was already lowering her guard around him! She really needed to get some rest and clear her mind. _Don’t try and humanize him_ , she scolded herself. _You cannot forget what he has done. How dangerous he can be._

Oblivious to her inner turmoil, Maul picked off a morsel of meat and plopped it into his mouth. “Is something the matter?” he asked, and Ahsoka became suddenly aware of the fact that she had stopped eating and had been staring at him, watching him finish off the last of his skewer.

Feeling a little embarrassed, Ahsoka looked away, refocusing her attention on her partially-eaten meal. “It’s nothing, sorry. Just thinking.” She hoped that the dim lights and the dark shadows would conceal the faint blush she could feel heating up her face.

Maul tossed the empty stick of his skewer onto the ground. “How many credits do you have left?” he asked.

“Not too many,” Ahsoka responded, lightly tracing their outline in the pocket of her cloak. “We should probably save them for tomorrow.”

Maul grunted derisively, looking discontent and still hungry. Ahsoka found herself agreeing with the dark, ravenous flicker in his eyes. Two kebabs, while filling, was not nearly enough to sate the intense hunger that clawed at her stomach. Unfortunately, they would have to wait until tomorrow, after Maul had gotten them more money.

Taking one last bite at the remaining chunk on her last skewer, Ahsoka motioned to her partner that she was done, and in tandem, the two began to make their way back to the hotel. The streets were still insanely busy, with traders, sellers, and buyers pushing against them from all directions.

“For a small planet, this place is awfully busy,” Ahsoka commented dryly as they finally found themselves walking back up the stairs to their hotel room. Maul simply nodded in agreement.

Following him into the room, Ahsoka flung herself on her bed, exhausted from the long day. Despite its deteriorated state, and the way it insultingly groaned under her weight, she was relieved to finally be able to rest and lay down. Her limbs ached, and her mind felt fried. She was drained, physically and mentally.

From her sprawl on the bedspread, she watched Maul neatly remove his cloak and make a small arrangement on the floor. His brows furrowed in concentration as he folded it so that there was more of the cloth bundled up to cushion his head, providing a thin layer between him and the cold, dirty ground.

Ahsoka fought the urge to shiver as a chill descended over the room. True to the nature of desert planets, Ambria was hot during the day and freezing cold at night. Rolling over on her side, she bundled herself up in her cloak, hoping to preserve at least some of her body heat as the temperature in the room slowly dropped. Eyes falling upon Maul’s still body, she noticed that, as he was resting upon his cloak, he had nothing to cover himself, his clothes the only thing shielding him from the dark, icy touch of the room.

A forbidden, unwanted idea popped into her mind, born from a wave of guilt that washed over her. Pushing it away, she closed her eyes and attempted to fall asleep. A few unsuccessful minutes passed, her mind too busy and body too cold to properly drift off. As the minutes stretched into an hour of wakeful restlessness, a particularly powerful shudder wracked her form, causing to open her eyes and see that Maul hadn’t shifted from his spot on the ground. The guilt returned, this time stronger and more potent than before.

“Maul,” she whispered before she could convince herself to just leave him alone. There was no response. Ahsoka pursed her lips together. He was laying on his side, slightly curled up, facing away from her. He was probably asleep.

She decided to try again. “Maul,” she repeated, this time a little more loudly. Still receiving no response, Ahsoka rolled over on her back to look up at the ceiling. As much as she wanted to let it be, she couldn’t deny the fact that he had been kind enough to give her the bed. She had her own blanket, after all, it wasn’t like she _needed_ the cloak as well.

Ahsoka began to unravel herself from the garment wrapped around her body, trying not to regret her decision as the warm layer was stripped from her body and the cold air touched her skin. Goosebumps prickled up and down her arms as she attempted to carefully lift herself out of the bed without causing too much commotion. Grimacing as it faintly creaked, Ahsoka lightly tiptoed over to the other side of the room, cloak in hand.

She hesitated at the edge of Maul’s makeshift bedspread, unsure of what to do next. She didn’t want to wake him up, both out of respect and out of fear for what he might he do if disturbed. Ultimately deciding that she had made it this far, Ahsoka shifted her grip on the cloak so that she was holding it by its hem. Delicately, she laid the fabric over Maul’s sleeping form, covering him in a layer of gray. Heart pounding, Ahsoka crept back to her bed, crawling under the thin, musty covers.

Quietly studying his figure on the ground, barely visible in the dim glow of the streetlight, Ahsoka spent a few minutes in deep contemplation. Her actions thankfully hadn’t seemed to wake him, as he still lay undisturbed on his side. It was strange, seeing him so vulnerable like this. A fleeting urge to kill him where he rested passed through her mind, stemming from a burning desire to rid the galaxy of one more terror, but she dismissed the thought as soon as it came. His demise, other than the fact that it would go against everything she had been taught by the Jedi, wouldn’t bring her any benefit, at least not in her current predicament. 

_This situation is certainly unusual_ , she reflected, rolling on to her back. She had a million questions, but no answers. She did not know what to do next. The only thing she currently had was _him._ It wasn’t much, and it definitely wasn’t ideal, but she would make the most of it. If there was one thing she was confident in, it was her adaptability.

Closing her eyes, Ahsoka quieted her swirling thoughts and let exhaustion take over, drifting into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *salutes the shared bed trope and then breaks down crying because they were so close*
> 
> It may not have happened today, but there's always a next time... ;)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Until next time!


	5. The First Day

Ahsoka woke the next morning curled up in the warmth of a thick sheet. Blinking her eyes slowly to adjust them to the light, she suddenly realized where she was, and, more importantly, who she was with. She shot up out of bed in an undignified tangle of limbs and blankets, looking wildly around the room.

The fresh morning light streaming through the window revealed the extent of the filth the room was coated in. Rapidly rubbing the sleep out her vision, Ahsoka’s eyes landed warily on Maul, whose back was turned to her as he appeared to be stretching himself out. Hearing the commotion she created, he turned around, quirking an eyebrow quizzically at her disturbance.

“Sorry,” Ahsoka apologized sheepishly, “I guess I forgot where I was.”

She yawned and straightened her legs out, abruptly realizing that her gray cloak was wrapped around her. “My cloak!” she exclaimed before she could stop herself, recalling the last time she had seen it, it had been draped over Maul’s sleeping body. 

“It seemed to me like you needed it more than I did,” he explained indifferently, rolling his shoulder until he heard it pop in its socket. A moment of silence passed between them as he moved to work on the other shoulder, Ahsoka looking down at the floor in faint embarrassment. “Though,” he continued as an afterthought, “I did appreciate the gesture.”

His admission of thanks came as a surprise to Ahsoka; it took all of her willpower to keep her jaw from dropping. This civil, borderline polite side of him was foreign and strange.

“Weren’t you cold?” she asked, puzzled. “The room was _freezing_ last night.”

Maul merely shrugged. “I have a higher tolerance to low temperatures, it doesn’t bother me as much.”

Ahsoka pursed her lips, vaguely recalling the fact that Zabraks had two hearts, and therefore, a higher body heat. Obviously, that fact hadn’t occurred to her last night, but at least she had _tried_ to be thoughtful.

She lifted herself up and began to make the bed. They didn’t have any time to waste; getting what they needed and then leaving as quickly as they could was of utmost importance. Although they had made the jump and were in a different system, they were still too close to where the original ship crashed for comfort. Anyone actively looking for them would have a relatively easy time uncovering their position.

Ahsoka sighed as she ran a hand over the blanket she stretched out over the lumpy mattress, smoothening out the wrinkles and folds in the fabric. It was dangerous going out in public together with Maul, but she knew that it was necessary. She didn’t exactly trust him to go to the bank by himself, after all, he _was_ an ex-Sith Lord. She did not know a whole lot about their traditions and order, but she did know that it was in their nature to betray one another.

She donned her gray cloak, distastefully watching Maul do the same with his as she pulled her arms through the sleeves. In a sweeping motion, she gathered her money and the room’s key card from off of the nightstand and shoved the items deep into her pocket. They gave the room one last check to make sure they weren’t leaving anything behind (it wasn’t like they were traveling with much anyways), before locking the door behind them and walking down the stairs in silence. Sparing him a fleeting glance, Ahsoka noticed that Maul seemed to be deep in thought about something, his face contorted into a brooding scowl. Deciding that now was not a good time to make small talk, she quietly reviewed their plan in her head. Go find a bank. Withdraw money. Get supplies. Sell their ship and buy a new one. Leave. It was a simple checklist, but knowing Maul, she feared it would be anything but.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she gestured for him to wait. He shot her a sharp, questioning look.

“I’m going to go ask the desk receptionist about where we can find a bank,” Ahsoka quickly explained. “It’ll make this process go much quicker.”

Maul rolled his eyes and crossed his arms impatiently, but indicated with a nod of his head to proceed. Ahsoka turned to the Besalisk man behind the desk, who was absently watching a holo-vid play.

“Excuse me, sir?” Ahsoka asked. He looked up, appearing to be mildly irritated by the interruption. “Can you give us directions to the nearest Republic bank?”

He grunted brusquely. “If it’s an official bank you’re looking for, you want to head towards the financial district. It’s on the other side of town, near the citadel.”

Ahsoka thanked him, returning their key card. She walked back over to Maul. “Sounds like we’re in for a bit of a hike,” she offered weakly. He briefly nodded, briskly turning to head out the door. Ahsoka grimaced to herself, but swallowed her frustration. What was his deal?

Hurrying to catch up with him, the pair walked side by side on the street, hugging the edges to keep in the shade. The sun was hot, and their cloaks magnified the heat. Ahsoka found herself quickly growing damp with sweat, but knew that the dangers of shedding her outer layer and risking exposing herself greatly outweighed her mild discomfort.

If Maul felt the same way about the high temperature, he didn’t show it. Golden eyes glued forward, Ahsoka saw his jaw set in a sharp line of determination. He wasn’t exactly the easiest to read, but even she could tell that there was something bothering him.

It was only when she stopped their journey for a quick drink—she was parched, after all—that she ventured to ask him what was wrong. They had each gotten a cheap, cool cup of juice and had ducked out of the main market street lined with stalls and vendors into an empty, shaded alley. Ahsoka knew that stopping irritated him, but he didn’t voice his complaints as she used the last of their loose change to pay for the two of them.

“So,” she said as conversationally as she could, after a few sips of her drink, “what’s up.”

Maul glared at her over the brim of his cup. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to be a little more specific, Lady Tano,” he drawled, dramatically rolling his eyes.

Ahsoka huffed in annoyance. “Your attitude,” she all but snapped, “you’ve been in a bad mood all morning. What’s wrong with you?”

At this, a flash of uncertainty crossed Maul’s expression. He warily glanced over his shoulder, looking back towards the heavily populated street. “I... We can’t stay here long. The sooner we leave, the better.”

Ahsoka felt mild alarm at his admission. “Is it… _him?_ ”

Maul simply nodded. “The Force,” he explained quietly, “it is out of balance. Surely, you can feel it, too? Nothing good will happen if we stay. Call it a gut feeling.”

Ahsoka hated to do it, but she trusted him. If even _Maul_ felt uncomfortable being here, well, she wouldn’t doubt his instinct for a second. Even she could appreciate his sheer resilience and survival instinct; there was a reason he had managed to stay alive for so long.

Noting his genuine tone, uncharacteristically devoid of sarcasm and mockery, Ahsoka decided that their little break was over. “Look,” she said, pointing over the tops of the buildings towards the large spire of the citadel, “we’re almost there. Let’s get your money and get off this backwater planet.”

They both quickly downed the rest of their drinks. Maul crushed the empty cup in his hand, tossing the trash over his shoulder into the alley. Eyeing him in quiet disapproval, Ahsoka delicately placed hers on the stack of crates lining the walls of the alley. Hoods up, the pair once again set out towards the citadel with renewed vigor.

It only took them a little while longer before they reached the central plaza of the city. Ahsoka couldn’t help but scoff to herself. “Great, now what?” She wiped a hand across her forehead, flicking the sweat melodramatically off. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the temperature rose to meet it. She felt like she was cooking alive underneath her cloak, physically restraining herself from peeling off her hood to let her montrals breathe.

Maul, seemingly unaffected by the heat, gave a slight indication with his head towards a street on the other side of the plaza, around the central spire. “This way,” he said, taking off in that direction. Ahsoka followed dutifully, without question.

The financial district was noticeably nicer than where they had been staying on the other side of the city. The streets were even and bricked, with the buildings crisp and clean. There was less filth and less people, and those who were present in the streets were considerably better dressed than the other denizens they had so far interacted with.

“There!” Ahsoka couldn’t help but keep the excitement out of her voice. She recognized the symbol of the Republic carved into the mantle of the building, and could see that the sign beneath it labeled it as an official bank. The familiarity of the symbol almost brought tears to her eyes, but she rapidly blinked them back. She _refused_ to get emotionally worked up over a building.

Maul met her eyes with a defiant smirk. “Let’s go reclaim some embezzled credits, shall we?” His old Sith cockiness, which had been blissfully absent all morning, was back, much to Ahsoka’s exasperation. Sighing, she trailed him up the wide stone steps to the grand doors of the establishment.

The sideways glances they received from within the bank put her on edge, the other people littered throughout the expansive room eyeing them warily. Slightly bristling as they walked across the smooth, marble floor, it took Ahsoka only a few moments to realize that they were staring at Maul. Following their gazes, it wasn’t hard to see why.

Walking with a powerful gait and his black robes flowing like death about him, his sharp yellow eyes glowed like torches set in his red and black face. A sense of unease curled in her core. The guy couldn’t look more like a Sith if he tried! He called way too much attention to himself, Ahsoka fighting the itch to turn around and walk straight back the way she came and out of the building.

 _This is humiliating_ , she grumbled to herself as they approached a free window of the bank, subtly lowering her head so that the hood of her cloak sat lower across her face. Sulkily crossing her arms, she stood behind Maul, listening to him smoothly talk to the Republic bank teller.

“Account number?” she droned, looking incredibly bored.

Maul listed off a long string of numbers, Ahsoka finding herself begrudgingly impressed he had the sequence memorized.

“Identification?”

Maul casually leaned against the narrow counter with his forearm, inspecting his gloves. “I’m afraid I don’t have my ID on me, perhaps we could do a bioscan instead?”

Ahsoka had to resist the urge to scornfully laugh. The thought of Darth Maul carrying an ID card around like some sort of civilian didn’t quite match up with his persona of a dangerous, notorious crime lord.

“Very well,” the woman said, not bothering to conceal the annoyance in her voice. She pressed a button and a scanner slid out of the wall next to the window. “Please place your finger in the middle of the screen. If you would prefer a different method of bio-identification please state otherwise.” 

Maul gingerly pulled off the glove of his right hand, left hand delicately pinching the excess fabric at the tip of his middle finger and tugging it off. Ahsoka fought the urge to stare, his bare hand looking oddly exposed without the usual protection of their black leather glove. She felt like she shouldn’t be that surprised to see that it was covered in black tattoos, just like his face and the rest of his body, but it was still a mildly shocking sight to behold.

Ahsoka watched with concealed interest as he placed a finger in the middle of the scanner, the device flashing green as it completed the analysis.

“Thank you,” the woman said dispassionately, squinting her eyes as she read the information that popped up on the screen. “What would you like to do with your account today?”

“I would like to make a withdrawal. Encrypted, if possible.”

“An encrypted withdrawal? That is going to cost you quite a bit extra.”

“Money is of no concern to me.”

She sighed, likely displeased by the idea of having to do more work than the bare minimum. “Very well, please enter the amount you wish to withdraw on the data pad in front of you.”

Angling his body so that Ahsoka couldn’t see what he was typing on the screen, Maul drummed his fingers lightly on his mouth, thinking for a moment before typing a number on the device.

The bank teller, frowning slightly as she read the amount of money Maul requested to withdraw before regaining her neutral, borderline snooty composure, turned to open a secured vault under her desk. She counted the credits on her side of the glass, clearly showing how much she was giving them, before sweeping them into a medium-sized sack and tying it up. Ahsoka’s eyes widened. Holy Force, that was a lot of credits! She had seen this amount of money in passing before, but had never had this much in her possession!

Maul, unphased, took the bag from the woman, acknowledging her with a brief nod. He started to turn to leave, but then, as if a thought occurred to him, looked at Ahsoka with a strangely mischievous glint in his eyes. “Ahso—I mean, my _lady_ , would you mind…?” With a free hand, he made a discreet waving motion, keeping it low and by his waist, out of view from the bank teller.

Ahsoka immediately understood, smirking slyly back. “Of _course_ , it would be my greatest pleasure.”

Quickly checking to make sure that no one was paying close attention, Ahsoka casually waved her hand, concealing it in a motion to adjust her headpiece. “You will delete this transaction from the system.”

The woman, initially giving her a questioning look, straightened, her face morphing into a blank, pleasant mask. “I will delete this transaction from the bank’s system.”

“You will delete his information from the database.”

“I will delete his information from the database.”

“This interaction did not happen.”

“This interaction did not happen.”

Satisfied with her work, Ahsoka turned back to Maul, a somewhat smug, triumphant smile plastered on her face. He regarded her with a hint of disdain, looking thoroughly unimpressed. Ahsoka rolled her eyes as he turned to walk towards the exit, her grin dropping from her face. “You’re welcome,” she muttered as she followed him out, tracing his footsteps a few paces behind.

They walked out of the bank and down the steps, the blast of heat withering Ahsoka’s spirit as they left behind the cool air of the building. “You know, it was foolish of you to use a bioscan for identification,” she said to his back.

Maul turned to wait for her at the bottom of the stairs. “How so? It’s not like we’re staying, we’ll be gone by the end of the day. That was the only method available to obtain the money, anyways.”

Ahsoka fell into step beside him and they began to make their way down the paved street. “Yeah, well, couldn’t you just have done a Force mind trick to get her to give you the money? You know, without identifying yourself?” she asked.

“You don’t think I wouldn’t have done that if that was an option?” he practically snorted. “Unfortunately, even if you successfully manipulated her, she wouldn’t have been allowed by the computer system to access my funds. She can only withdraw money from the account with the proper identification. Trust me, I know from experience.”

“You could’ve at least done the mind tricks yourself,” Ahsoka grumbled. “I don’t understand why you had me do your dirty work.”

At this Maul openly laughed, the sound grating and malicious. “You think I would waste my efforts doing a Jedi mind trick? Such frivolities are beneath me. No, if I truly wanted something, I have other means of achieving it.”

“You never know,” Ahsoka protested, “those mind tricks can be pretty useful. They might save your life one of these days.”

“And that’s why I have you around to do it for me.” Maul flashed her a snarky smile. Ahsoka scowled in response.

“I’m glad that you practically _begged_ me to join you just so I could do some silly mind tricks for you.”

“Of course. You are quite the perceptive one, Lady Tano.”

“I guess you don’t need me anymore then, huh?”

“I most certainly do. Who knows what poor, innocent soul will need to be manipulated next?”

Ahsoka was about to fire back another response when Maul suddenly stiffened next to her while she kept walking. She turned back to him, where he stood frozen in the street.

“Maul?” she asked, confusion clouding her voice. “What are you—”

She was suddenly cut off as his hand shot out, seizing her upper arm in an iron grip and dragging her back into a crooked side alley haphazardly shooting off from the main walkway.

“Ow!” Ahsoka exclaimed as he slammed her against the wall. “What is your prob—”

This time, he cut her off by clapping a gloved hand over her mouth. “Quiet!” he hissed, pulling them down behind a covered stack of crates.

Ahsoka was sorely tempted to bite the leathered appendage presently suffocating her, but a different, distinctly familiar noise caught her attention. Head spinning towards the mouth of the side street, her eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of a squad of clone troopers marching down the street they had just been on, walking in crisp formation. Fear pooled deep in her stomach as the sound of armor clanking in unison echoed in her head. She pressed herself as far as she could against the wall, Maul’s hands still gripping her arm and covering her lower face. Together, they sat in apprehensive silence, watching the troopers pass.

They remained crouched in tense anticipation, waiting with bated breath long after the sounds of the marching squad passed. All of a sudden, Ahsoka became acutely aware of their close proximity, of the nearness of their bodies. She could feel his chest pressed against her arm, warm and firm, and the sharpness of his mechanical knee digging into her kneeling thigh. The realization caused her to rapidly heat up, and she wasn’t sure if it was due to her embarrassment or the stuffiness of her thick cloak.

Maul seemed to be completely unaware towards Ahsoka’s discomfort. “I told you I had a bad feeling about this place.” He muttered in her ear, his low voice sending involuntary shivers down her spine. “We need to get out of here as soon as possible.”

Ahsoka swallowed her jumpy nerves and whispered back, “We should take the back streets. We can get our supplies on our way back to the shuttle.” 

Maul responded by loosening his hold on her and cautiously peering over the top of the crates, double checking to see if the coast was clear. Seeing nothing, he straightened himself out, hauling Ahsoka up onto her feet with him. Ahsoka wanted to protest and tell him that she was perfectly capable of standing up on her own, but ultimately decided that it was not an argument she wanted to have. She was shaken to core after seeing the clones, their presence filling her with mild panic. Vivid memories of them turning on her danced behind her eyes, her mind replaying their hostile stance and flashing blaster shots.

She quickly shook her head. Maul was right, they needed to get out of here. She could dwell on the past later, once they were on a new ship speeding into a different system.

Together, the pair hurried down the side street, constantly checking over their shoulders and trying to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves as they wove through the interconnected alleys of the city. Ahsoka’s heart raced, skin prickling with nerves. An overwhelming sense of fear, a deep feeling to run, slowly rose in her gut, churning with anxiety. Her senses were on high alert, the alarm of the situation sending her into a frenzied state of hyperawareness.

It was only when they were close to the shipyard that they decided to risk stopping to get some supplies. Ducking into a dark general store, the two split up, Ahsoka heading over to peruse the small selection of food the store offered while Maul wandered off in the opposite direction. Roaming down the skimpy aisle, she picked out a handful of preserved foods, packets, and rations that were tasteless, but would last them a few weeks and would be good to have on hand in case of an emergency.

“We will need some medical supplies as well,” Maul said as they met up in the back of the store, carrying a similar haul of goods in his arms.

Ahsoka deposited what she was holding into his arms, being careful to not drop any of it onto the floor. “I’ll go find some if you pay for this,” she suggested, heading back towards the pharmaceutical row she had passed on her way to meet him.

 _This is absurd_ , she thought to herself as she squatted in the aisle to examine the rolls of gauze stocked on the bottom of the shelf. Absentmindedly comparing a few, she sighed. Not for the first time since their escape, the thought of just leaving and striking out on her own crossed her mind. While earlier she had been reluctant to leave due to the promise of Maul’s resources, she was growing increasingly confident she would be fine on her own without him. In fact, she’d probably be _better_ off without him; there was no telling what trouble he would bring along with him and what antics she would inadvertently get wrapped up in just by being in his Sithly presence. Reflexively, she checked over her shoulder. She was alone in the aisle. Returning her attention to the bundles of gauze she held in her hand, she weighed the two rolls in her hand, ultimately opting for the thicker, larger one. She was sure Maul could afford it with all his stolen credits.

 _I could just run,_ she mused as she placed the rejected gauze roll back on the shelf, straightening at the waist to study the bacta-treatment options stacked above it. There wasn't much available, just a few basic patch kits in stock. _He wouldn’t be able to stop me. I could just… disappear._

After a moment of deliberation, Ahsoka took all of the bacta kits. She had a feeling they would be very useful. Balancing the objects in her arms, she picked off a few other miscellaneous items from the shelf.

Turning towards the door of the store, she paused. While she could, theoretically, just walk away, she knew it was foolish. There were clone troopers here, and she had no way to leave. Even if she could hypothetically survive on her own in this town, it would be made much more difficult with the presence of the patrolling soldiers. It was a small planet, and an even smaller city. She was trapped without money. Maul had the credits; he was her ticket off this rock.

Ahsoka’s heart tore at her indecisiveness. She was at a loss for what to do.

“Find everything?”

His deep voice startled her, causing her to whip her head around. He was standing behind her in the aisle, holding a bag full of the food and other supplies they had picked out.

“I… uh…. yeah,” she stammered, lifting up the pile of goods she held in her arms. Maul leaned in slightly to inspect them. 

“It’ll have to do,” he said dismissively, curling his lip in mild annoyance. He straightened, holding out the bag he carried. “Put them in here.”

Ahsoka looked at him in shock, eyes flitting between the opened bag containing all of their supplies and his unapologetic face. “You want to steal?”

Maul rolled his eyes, looking very frustrated by her hesitation. “I already paid for the food. Isn’t that good enough for you?” When Ahsoka didn’t immediately respond, he continued, saying, “The prices here are ridiculously high anyway. Put them in the bag and let’s go.”

“We can’t steal from these people!” Ahsoka hissed. “It’s not right. They need the money.”

“And we need to leave.” With his free hand, Maul began discretely plucking items off of Ahsoka’s balanced stack of goods, shoving them into the bag. “Honestly, Lady Tano, I hope you don’t plan on being this difficult the whole time.”

Maul grabbed the last of Ahsoka’s chosen medical supplies and tied the bag tightly closed, concealing any evidence of it containing stolen items. Ahsoka checked over her shoulder in worry, making sure that no one had seen them. “This better not be a regular thing,” she growled, poking a finger at his chest in threat.

Maul just laughed spitefully and batted her hand away. “I’m not making any promises,” he said, brushing past her towards the front of the store.

Trying to calm the anger blooming in her chest, Ahsoka stalked after him, the desire to ditch the Sith returning with a fierce intensity. 

“Do try to pick up the pace,” Maul called over his shoulder once they were safely out of the store. “We still need to sell our ship and buy a new one.”

The walk to the shipyard, much to Ahsoka’s relief in the stifling heat, was somewhat short. Finally returning to the massive, sandy lot, she squinted her eyes and lightly coughed, the constant traffic of ships in and out of the port kicking up a fierce storm of dust that hung stagnantly in the air. As they came upon their shuttle, a thick wave of smog was expelled as a nearby cruiser lifted off the ground, forcing her to wave her hand in front of her face in a desperate attempt to clear the air in front of her.

“I’ll take care of the ship,” Maul said as they stopped to stand next to their craft, dumping the sack of their supplies into Ahsoka’s arms. “You wait here. I’ll come get you when I’m done.”

“What, you don’t want me to come with you?” Ahsoka asked, shifting the bundle in her arms to better support its surprisingly heavy weight.

Maul sneered. “I’m not sure you would approve of my... _bargaining_ methods.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ahsoka asked as he turned and walked away from her. “Maul!” she called after his retreating figure. He didn’t look back.

Huffing angrily, Ahsoka dropped the sack at her feet, leaning against the outer wall of the shuttle. A nearby maintenance droid beeped a quick string of binary at her as it walked past.

“I know!” she responded, agreeing with what the droid said. “He _is_ incredibly rude. It’s ridiculous.”

The droid ambled away, heading over to a neighboring ship where other maintenance units were already working. Ahsoka watched them hammer and weld at the exterior of the ship, finding mild amusement at their playful shenanigans as they bickered and beeped at each other.

 _And I thought Maul and I were incompatible,_ she thought as she saw one of the maintenance mechs bonk another on the head with a heavy wrench, causing it to drop the bowl of screws it was carrying and prompting more heated arguing. Completely engrossed in the antics of the droids, Ahsoka didn’t notice when Maul returned to the shuttle.

“Enjoying yourself?” he asked, eyeing the droids Ahsoka was watching from under his hood.

“You’re back,” Ahsoka exclaimed, moving to pick up the sack. “Did you get a new ship?”

In response, Maul held up a ring with some key cards dangling off of it. “This way,” he said, motioning for Ahsoka to follow him.

The pair trekked their way through the shipyard, having to duck and weave to avoid the controlled chaos of ships landing, being loaded and unloaded, and taking off. Walking over a few rows, Ahsoka noticed that the new sector of the landing bay they approached had considerably nicer ships. She was caught up admiring some of the larger, more elaborate ones when Maul stopped in front of a light freighter. It was small compared to the surrounding ships it was nestled between, but more than large enough for their measly crew of two.

“Not bad,” Ahsoka said, running her eyes appreciatively over the vessel. It was in much better condition than the shuttle they had escaped with, but still nondescript enough to avoid attracting any unwanted attention.

Maul opened the ramp, a hiss filling the air as the walkway slowly lowered to the ground. “Of _course_ it’s not bad,” he said indignantly. “I’m offended you would think I would obtain anything less.”

Ahsoka was relieved when she entered the main body of the ship and felt its cool, recycled air surround her. Even in the shade, the heat of Ambria was cloying. Closing the ramp behind her as Maul went to the front of the ship to initiate the takeoff sequence, Ahsoka made her way to the sleeping quarters. Although it was cramped and small, Ahsoka was pleased to find that it had more than one bed tucked into the walls of the room. She tossed the sack into the corner of the bedchamber, resolving to properly unpack it once they were safely in hyperspace. Claiming a bed by dumping her heavy and slightly moist cloak onto it, she relished in the feeling of the pleasant coolness prickling her bare skin.

Sitting on her bed, Ahsoka took a few moments to collect herself. While she briefly rested, she heard the whirring of the engines as they came to life, their pulsing motions throbbing through the hull of the ship. A few moments later, she felt the freighter lift off of the ground, forcing her to place a hand against the inner nook of her bed to prevent herself from toppling over onto the floor. Once the ship had steadied itself, it’s course smoothening as it presumably left the atmosphere, Ahsoka exited the bedchamber and headed towards the front of the ship.

Maul, sitting hunched over a small screen on the control panel, didn’t acknowledge her entry into the cockpit. Walking up so that she was standing behind him, she leaned over his shoulder, looking at the coordinates he was contemplating over. “Where to?” she asked.

“I have a few ideas,” he responded, apparently unphased by Ahsoka’s mild intrusion of his personal space.

“Like…?” Ahsoka prodded.

Maul shrugged. “Somewhere in the outer rim, maybe even the mid rim if the planet is obscure enough.”

Ahsoka pulled up a holomap of the galaxy from a projection device on the console of the ship, studying it for a minute. “How about Thabeska?” she suggested, spinning the map with the Force and zooming into the location of the planet in question, nestled comfortably in the outer rim.

Maul wrinkled his nose in disagreement. “I was thinking of someplace more like Bakura,” he said, taking control of the map and rotating it so that it adjusted its focus to the new planet.

“Bakura?” Ahsoka echoed, doubt clouding her face. She regarded the object’s position on the map. “Hm. It’s right next to the unknown regions. Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Maul affirmed. “It’s location at the edge of the known galaxy will work immensely in our favor.”

“Even so, it is kind of a large, populated planet. Not to mention the fact that it’s part of a pretty major trade route. That might be dangerous,” Ahsoka said, touching the line highlighted on the map.

“What you have to consider is that we _want_ to be connected to the galaxy,” Maul explained. “If we run off to some far out, backwater planet deep in the outer rim, we risk losing contact to, well, everything. We won’t know what’s going on, we’ll be completely in the dark.” He zoomed out on the map so that it displayed the entire galaxy. “We need to fly under the radar, but not so much so that we become completely oblivious to Sidious’ plan, whatever it may be.”

Ahsoka leaned back in her chair in resignation. He brought up a good point. “I’m still not sure…” she said uncertainly.

Maul shifted his gaze from the planet to look at her, smirking. “I believe, Lady Tano, that regardless of your sentiments, it is _my_ turn to choose the destination.”

“Is that so? Is that how this works?” Ahsoka challenged, lifting an eyebrow.

“It is now,” Maul retorted.

“Well, what if I don’t want to?”

“We’re going to Bakura,” he growled, shutting off the map. “And you’re going to like it.”

Ahsoka turned her attention towards the controls and began to prepare the ship for the jump into hyperspace. “Fine. But if Bakura fails, _which it inevitably will_ , we’re going to Thabeska.”

“It’s a deal,” Maul said, punching in the coordinates and initiating similar hyperspace preparations on his side of the dashboard. “Though I am confident that we will both come to agree that Bakura is a better planet than Ambria.”

At this Ahsoka let out an undignified snort. “Come, on, admit it,” she prodded lightheartedly, not wanting to let him get away with any cheap shots at her chosen destination. “Ambria was a good choice.”

He scoffed. “There were better options.”

“Why can’t you just say that it went well? We got everything we needed.”

“Yes, but with some slight complications.” Maul grew quiet for a moment. “You know, there will likely be clones on Bakura.” He turned to face her, uncharacteristic concern shining in his intense golden eyes. “Will you be able to handle it?”

Dread clenched at Ahsoka’s stomach. The thought had occurred to her, and she had successfully avoided thinking about it, until now at least. “I’ll be fine,” she eventually responded, trying not to meet his gaze. She didn’t want him to see the sorrow in her expression, the fear and the loss.

“I don’t want you causing any problems for us.” He gruffly said. The concern was gone from his face, replaced with a look of steely determination.

Ahsoka didn’t reply immediately, choosing to glare out the window sullenly. “You won’t have to worry about me,” she said snidely, the edge in her voice softened by how pathetically tiny it came out.

“Then we best get going.” With that, Maul finalized the coordinates, pulling the lever and propelling the ship into hyperspace. The stars streaked past in a flash of blinding light, the force of the jump pushing Ahsoka back into her seat.

As the ship sped away from Ambria, Ahsoka gripped the armrest of the co-pilot’s chair tightly, silently praying that following Maul to Bakura wouldn’t turn out to be as horrible of a decision as she feared it to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay soooooo this was the first chapter I wrote for the whole fic, and trust me when I say that it needed A LOT of work when I sat down to edit it. Like, it was DUMMY rough. There were lots of gaps in characterization, progression, and just straight up missing chunks that I couldn’t be bothered to write at the time, so thanks for that, past me. Hopefully it looks fine now, though!
> 
> Also, thank you all for the amazing response and feedback you have been giving this story so far, it really makes my day! :’)
> 
> See you soon!


	6. Incompatible

Ahsoka absently twirled one of Maul’s credit ingots in between her fingers, using the Force to twist and swivel it through her hands. After abandoning her weak efforts to initiate small talk with her Sith shipmate, she had resorted to fiddling with the metal bar she had retrieved from the sack by his feet in a feeble attempt to keep her mind off of the boredom and sheer awkwardness she was feeling. After a few minutes of manipulating the valuable credit, Maul had pulled up a small holo-device and had begun scrolling through it, brows knitted in concentration as he read.

Ahsoka had been confused on where he had gotten it from. Unable to help herself, she found herself asking him.

“I’m borrowing it,” he had cryptically responded, not bothering to look up at her.

 _More like stole it,_ Ahsoka had thought, returning her attention to her floating plaything. She couldn’t even think of a time where he would’ve had the opportunity to snatch it, but she supposed if he stole it, he would have been very discrete, enough so that even she didn’t notice. At this point in their tentative partnership, she wasn’t even phased by his antics; in fact, she had come to expect it. She shouldn’t have even bothered asking.

A few more minutes had passed before Ahsoka had asked another question. “What are you reading?”

This time Maul glanced over at her, looking thoroughly annoyed. “About Bakura. I believe it would be wise to know a little bit more about the planet, don’t you think?”

Declining from entertaining his snappy rhetorical question, Ahsoka had refrained from engaging with Maul any further, not wishing to provoke his short temper.

Which brought her to the present. After an hour of amusing herself with the small ingot, Ahsoka found herself bored once again, tired of her simple Force manipulations.

“I’m going to go unpack our supplies and explore the ship,” she announced, standing up.

“You do that.” Maul’s eyes were glued to his holo-device. “Be careful not to have too much fun.”

“Anything will be more fun than being up here,” Ahsoka muttered under her breath as she left the cockpit and closed the door behind her. She felt a sharp pang in her chest, suddenly reminiscing about the times spent with Anakin, Obi-Wan, Rex, and the other clones. Even though their camaraderie and close bonds had been forged in a time of war, she found herself severely missing their company. Maul, as talkative as he had the potential to be, was lacking in the sense of comfort and familiarity that she had experienced with her friends.

 _I wonder how Rex is doing._ The thought popped up unbidden, causing Ashoka’s stomach to twist into knots. _I hope he made it off the ship in one piece._

It had killed her to leave him behind, the feeling of regret constantly haunting her in the back of her mind. He had told her to go, that he would find his own way out and catch up with her later, so why was she having such a hard time trusting his promise? _I hope he’s out there, somewhere._ The idea of him lying to her, and her _believing_ it and leaving him to die crushed Ahsoka’s soul.

He had to be alive. This was Captain Rex she was thinking of, after all.

Ahsoka found herself in the sleeping quarters, standing in front of the heavy sack of supplies she had deposited when boarding the ship. Hauling it over her shoulder, she backtracked out of the room and to a small walk-in closet in the hall. Noting that the cabinets and drawers were mostly bare, Ahsoka started unpacking the sack and organizing its contents in the storage space. Humming as she worked, she sorted the medical supplies into a container embedded in the walls of the cabinet, allowing the menial task to take over her mind and body.

After she finished arranging the protein bars, she prepared to move on to the freeze-dried packet meals, opening a drawer at her waist level. Surprised to find it not empty, she pulled out some sets of cheap-looking, plain clothes.

“How nice,” she commented to herself, picking derisively at the attire she was currently wearing. It would be nice to change into a clean set of clothes, especially since hers were grimy and in desperate need of a wash.

Committing to finishing her work before she changed, Ahsoka packed the rest of the contents of the sack into the various cabinets, drawers, and shelves of the closet. Done after a few minutes, she folded the bag and neatly tucked it away, admiring her handiwork with satisfaction. Overall, they were pretty well stocked, making her feel a little more secure about their current state. Even though the galaxy as she knew it might be crumbling around her, she could at least be confident about this closet being in tip-top condition.

Returning her attention to the drawer of simple clothes, Ahsoka thumbed through the thin stacks, finally picking out a navy blue short-sleeved shirt and matching pair of pants that seemed like it would fit her frame.

“A little dark,” she mused, holding up the shirt at different angles and eyeing it somewhat critically. “But it’ll do.”

New clothes in tow, she left the supply closet and entered the bedroom, locking the door behind her. Stripping down to her undergarments, Ahsoka let out a sigh of relief as her old outfit was peeled from her body. It felt like she was shedding a second skin. Taking a moment to enjoy her fleeting liberation, Ahsoka pulled open a drawer underneath her bed and shoved the dirty heaps of fabric inside. She would clean them later, but for now, they would be out of sight and out of mind.

Picking up her new set of clothes from where she had left them on the bed, Ahsoka pulled the shirt over her head and put on the pants. The material was tight, but, much to her reassurance, it was very breathable.

Spotting a door to a refresher adjacent to the room, Ahsoka entered, finding a mirror. She grimaced, not particularly enjoying how strange the clothes looked on her. The sleeves extending halfway down her bicep was certainly out of character, contrasting with her usual attire choice that allowed her arms to be completely free and unrestricted.

 _And the color,_ she thought, frowning at the dark blue that dangerously approached being black. _Woof._

Deciding that the shirt’s hue would take some getting used to, but that it would serve it’s function for the time being, Ahsoka exited the ‘fresher and returned to the closet. Reopening the drawer that contained the clothes, she rifled through the shirts before she found one that she felt was appropriate. “It wouldn’t hurt to offer,” she deliberated, holding the black sleeved shirt up. It looked exactly like hers, other than being a size or two larger.

Slinging the garment over her shoulder, Ahsoka didn’t bother looking for a pair of pants that fit. She would let him figure that out on his own; she didn’t want to make any assumptions on what it was like to have mechanical limbs.

She found him in the exact spot she had left him, reclined in the pilot’s seat with his legs propped up, holo-device in hand. Ahsoka dropped into the co-pilot’s chair heavily, throwing the shirt at his face to get his attention. It was immature, she knew, but it was her way of trying to conceal what would otherwise be a kind gesture.

Maul ripped the cloth off of his face with a free hand, glaring daggers at her. Trying not to grin, Ahsoka threw her hands up in mock defense. “I thought you might want to change into a new shirt,” she explained, trying to sound as nonchalant and detached as possible. “Though, I now realize it’s not quite your style. It’s black, yes, but the neckline isn’t quite as… deep.”

Maul narrowed his eyes at her, brows furrowing in anger. His jagged tattoos made him look more furious than he probably was, though Ahsoka still got the feeling he was pretty peeved. He was shockingly easy to provoke. “What are you playing at,” he spit out, nostrils slightly flaring as he clenched the shirt in a tight fist.

Ahsoka shrugged, swiveling in her chair. “I just changed my clothes and thought you might want to do the same. But I can put it back if you don’t want it.”

Turning his scowl from Ahsoka to the shirt in his hand, Maul inspected the garment for a moment, turning it over in his hands and running the fabric through his fingers.

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to do so,” he grumbled, placing the holo-device on the dashboard of the ship’s controls. He got up and started to leave, but turned back to face her, a look of realization crossing his face. “This isn’t a ploy to change the coordinates, is it?”

“What? No!” Ahsoka protested, feeling mildly offended at his suspicion of her.

He pointed an aggressive accusatory finger at her. “ _We’re going to Bakura,”_ he threatened.

“I’m just trying to do something nice,” Ahsoka said defensively.

He shook his head in apparent disgust and grunted noncommittally, muttering something about the repulsive virtue of the Jedi before leaving the cockpit.

Retrieving the Republic credit she had been playing with earlier, Ahsoka continued to toy around with the metal bar, picking up where she had left off. A few minutes later, Maul returned to the room, making his presence known with the clanking of his heavy metal steps.

Ahsoka turned around to see Maul pulling awkwardly at the neckline, grimacing as the tight material snapped back to his skin. He looked around room, appearing very disgruntled.

“How is it?” she asked innocently, pretending to not notice his blatant discomfort.

Settling back into his chair, he picked at the edge of the sleeve, looking thoroughly put out. “At least it’s black,” he groused. Ahsoka noted that, even though his arms were mostly exposed, revealing the full extent of his sharp black tattoos that trailed down his limbs, he still insisted on wearing his black gloves.

Ahsoka quickly looked away, returning her attention intently to the ingot she had resumed playing with. She was embarrassed to catch herself staring at Maul’s arms, and hoped he hadn’t noticed. First his hands at the bank, and now this. She needed to get a grip.

“You’re welcome,” she said, watching him shift around in her peripheral vision.

He snorted. “Yes, _thank you_ for rummaging around the ship and giving me someone else’s shirt. How unbelievably generous you are.”

“Hey, it’s not like you were going to do it,” she pointed out, flipping the credit up high into the air and catching it in her hand. “Actually, I take that back. That’s _exactly_ like something you would do.”

Maul smirked, holding out a gloved hand. Understanding what he wanted, Ahsoka tossed him the bar she was fiddling with a flick of her fingers, the credit spinning through the air in a flash before disappearing into his clenched fist as he caught it.

He held it up to the light, inspecting it with a critical eye, before maneuvering it through his hand with the Force, much like Ahsoka had been doing. “I didn’t take you for the fidgety type,” he commented, the credit slipping around his fingers like a glittering fish. “That’s not typical for a Jedi.”

Ahsoka found herself blushing angrily in response, skin deepening at his thorny remark. “I thought we established that I’m not a Jedi anymore,” she bit out, ripping the credit out of his hands with a powerful pull of the Force, the strength of her command startling her.

Maul quirked an eyebrow in mild surprise. “You sure act like one.” His eyes settled on the reclaimed credit Ahsoka clutched in her fist. “Though you certainly have your moments.”

Ahsoka shot him a patronizing look. “Care to clarify?”

“Do not worry, it suits you. After all, you _are_ the Padawan of a master who was corrupted by the dark side, are you not? It is only fitting that you have picked up some of his more unsavory traits.” 

Her body stiffened at the mention of Anakin, spine snapping straight at his barbed words. “Drop it,” she hissed. “If you know what’s good for you.”

Maul narrowed his eyes, smiling dangerously. He knew he had struck a nerve. He tsked in mock disapproval, shaking his head. “What would your master think if he saw you now?” he pressed. “Your fellow Jedi, your _friends,_ how do you think they would they feel? Oh wait, that’s right!” he held up a finger, cocking his head as if suddenly realizing something. “There’s no way of possibly knowing because they’re all _dead._ Dead because they were blinded by their own arrogance and insolence. Dead because they didn’t listen to _me._ ”

Ahsoka glared at him furiously, squeezing her fists so tightly that she could feel the metal of the credit she was holding bite into her skin and leave sharp indents.

Maul continued to taunt her. “But I can’t fault them. Why would they listen to a Sith? After all, am I not the very product of the thing your kind swore to destroy? Why trust me, when they could instead line up like pigs for slaughter?” He sneered, baring his teeth at her. “Every single one of them, killed by a shot in the back at the hands of their own army. But you can’t put the blame on me, I truly did try to help. If anything, you should _thank_ me. I really did do my best.”

“They’re not all dead,” she insisted stubbornly. “If we made it out alive, I’m certain there are others. And for the record, let’s just get one thing straight. I don’t owe you _anything._ ”

“The only reason you’re still alive is because of me.” Maul’s dark, cutting voice rung dangerously through the cockpit. “Don’t you dare forget that.”

Ahsoka held her tongue, desperately wanting to snap back that she had been the one to save his sorry carcass from being executed in his prison cell, that she was the one who _freed_ him in the first place. However, she swallowed the words before they had the chance to form. Their conversation had escalated so quickly that she couldn’t even remember what had started it. Hardening her resolve and refusing to participate in what would surely evolve into a fight, either verbal or physical, Ahsoka stood up tautly, arms locked at her sides.

“I’m going to go meditate,” she said rigidly, gritting her teeth.

Maul waved his hand dismissively. “Oh yes, please do. Meditate, like your fallen brethren did before they were murdered. All you Jedi _do_ is meditate, seeking clarity, always searching but never acting. Go ahead, practice that old, outdated relic of your fallen Order and tell me where it leads you. Tell me how it will help us.”

Ahsoka, abandoning her previous restraint, stepped over to him, closing the distance between them so that she towered over his seated form. “ _What is your problem?”_ she demanded, glaring down at him.

Maul locked eyes with her. He straightened, metal legs grating as he slowly rose to his full height. His full height, Ahsoka mirthfully noticed, that was exactly the same as hers.

He positioned himself so that they were inches apart, chests almost brushing, the tension thick and tangible in the room.

“My _problem,”_ he said slowly and deliberately, as if he were explaining something to a child. “Is that, thanks to the foolishness of you and your Jedi institution _,_ Darth Sidious now controls the entire galaxy. He was right under your noses, posing as your precious Supreme Chancellor this whole time, and you refused to see it! You cowards were so _blind_ and oblivious towards the threat that you were practically begging to be annihilated. And now,” at this point, Maul was so close to her that their noses were almost touching. “it is _my_ problem to clean up the mess that _your_ Order created.”

Ahsoka scrunched her brow in defiance, refusing to back down and give him the satisfaction of submission. His darkness swirled around her, its slippery, oily presence crawling across her skin. “Then tell me this,” she questioned in a low voice. “If you loathe the Jedi so much, why work with me?”

They stared at each other, both unwilling to look away. Their bodies still stood close to one another; Ahsoka could feel intense heat radiating off of his body and wondered if he could feel the same from her. Around them, the ship hummed and whirred, filling the tense silence with a symphony of machinations.

Maul was the first to break the spell, turning away and shaking his head. “You wouldn’t understand,” he muttered simply, bracing his arms on the console and looking out at the hypnotizing blue tunnel of hyperspace.

Ahsoka sighed, feeling suddenly sorrowful and defeated. A stifling hush filled the room as she stared at Maul’s back. Not for the first time, she couldn’t help but wonder what had led her to this situation. “I’ll be in the sleeping quarters,” she eventually said, voice barely above a whisper. “Just… call me if you need anything.”

With that, she left the cockpit, feeling the fire that had flowed through her veins just moments prior chill to sharp pangs of regret. More than ever, she felt lost and confused.

Ahsoka ran her hands down her lekku as she walked towards the bedchamber of the ship, trying to relieve some of her storming, conflicted nerves. A lengthy meditation was definitely in order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter to be sure, but a welcome one.
> 
> Ya girl took the DAT yesterday (aka the MCAT but for dental school) and my mind is a little fried. I still wanted to put this out though, so I’ll return to it later and clean up any *messiness* I may have missed when I edited it last night. 
> 
> As always, thanks for reading!


	7. Black and Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Almost wiped out and got KO-ed longboarding down the coast the other night, but it’s going to take a lot more than that to prevent me from uploading haha
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!

When Ahsoka had first left to go practice her meditations, Maul hadn’t felt much else other than pure, undivided disgust.

However, as the minutes crept by, he found his disgust shift into boiling resentment. Had he not told her the futility, the sheer _pointlessness_ of such practices? About how absolutely, utterly useless they were?

And of course, here she went again, just like on Mandalore, completely disregarding what he had to say! Tossing his words over her shoulder, not listening even though at this point, she had no reason not to. Her complete lack of respect enraged him.

As he sat brooding in the front of the ship, the hours slowly, yet steadily, passed. Not once did he feel her move from her spot, her Force signature an infuriatingly calm, passive light that glowed at the back of his mind. It’s presence was of great annoyance to him; he was very unused to spending this much undivided time exposed to such a potent, sickeningly bright aura.

She hadn’t even come out when he had stopped twice to refuel, leaving him to take care of the transaction on his own. Not that he minded, for if she had been around and present he probably would’ve forced her to stay on the ship anyways, both to make the ordeal go quicker as well as to preserve his own sanity.

After the second refuel, while walking past the door to the sleeping quarters on his way back to the cockpit, Maul had hesitated, seriously considering going in to check on her. As far as he was aware, she hadn’t left the room for almost two entire rotations, sulking in the bedchamber and cloaked with the Force in a swirling miasma of misery, self-loathing, and fear.

Ultimately, he had decided not to bother, allowing her to fester in her cloud of sorrow. Her pathetic sentiments were her problem, and he would be damned if he tried to help. She was not his responsibility, and if she wanted to pout and mope about, he was perfectly content to let her.

Unfortunately for Maul, Ahsoka’s little meditation session left him as the sole pilot of the ship.

 _Stupid, selfish little Jedi,_ he had seethed to himself as he steered the ship away from the planet they had stopped at and prepared the jump to hyperspace. He found himself having to lean practically all the way out of his seat to reach the controls on the co-pilots side of the panel, the controls that _she_ should have been manning. _I have half a mind to knock her upside the head and drag her out here by scruff of her mangy neck._

She still hadn’t emerged when the ship exited hyperspace from the last leg of the journey, the planet of Bakura a welcome sight on Maul’s red, bloodshot eyes.

Running on fumes, he had piloted the ship down to the surface, angling towards a rather large looking settlement. Passing over the tall spires of the city that pierced the sky, Maul continued on towards the outskirts of the town. Close enough to the surface where he could pick out some details if he strained his eyes, he spotted a tired, dilapidated looking structure on the side of lightly forested hill. Lowering the landing equipment and shifting the gears, Maul had, as gently as he could with his fatigued mind, brought the ship down onto the surface, strategically parking the freighter so that it was partially covered by the copse of trees that stood by the small, run-down building.

Rubbing the exhaustion out of his eyes with the back of a hand, noting how heavy his eyelids felt and how prominent his eyebags were, Maul had powered down the ship, practically collapsing into his chair once the last button was pressed and last switch flicked off. After he had taken a few minutes to collect himself and stretch out his stiff, aching muscles, he set out to explore the house that he hoped to be abandoned.

 _Not that it matters if there are people currently in it,_ he thought, hand hovering over the hilt of the saberstaff clipped to his belt. _That is an issue I can easily remedy._ He had no qualms about killing innocent, pathetic civilians. It would not be the first, nor likely last, time.

Such action was unnecessary, however, as the house was empty and looked like it had been for quite a while. The roof had a few holes in it and appeared to be a few storms away from completely collapsing, the windows barren of glass. The interior of the house was sparsely furnished, with a few old tables and chairs scattered throughout, a wardrobe and a single bed in the bedroom, and a charred fireplace in the main room.

It wasn’t much, but it was something.

 _Better than paying for a place to live,_ Maul had sniffed, before returning to the ship to retrieve some belongings and finally lay down to get some rest.

Upon his return to the freighter, he saw that Ahsoka had finally exited the bedchamber, her eyes glassy and bleary. She wordlessly grabbed their cloaks and helped him transport some supplies into the house while the sun set and cast the world into shadows.

The first night, Ahsoka had told him she would keep watch while he slept.

“How do I know you won’t kill me?” Maul had growled, feeling absolutely feral in his sleep-deprived state.

Ahsoka had rolled her eyes, but the gesture seemed empty and without her typical fire. Not that Maul cared. If her stupid attachments to her idiotic Jedi Order made her this weak, then that was entirely her fault.

They had bickered, with Ahsoka eventually unclipping her two lightsabers from her belt and placing it on the table next to the bed. “There,” she had snapped, “does this make you feel any better?”

“Hardly,” Maul had snarled, “I would feel much better if….”

“Just shut up and get some sleep!” Ahsoka had finally exclaimed in exasperation. “You look terrible.”

“And who is to blame for that?” Despite continuing to argue with her, he had laid down in the bed, covering himself in the cloaks while maintaining eye contact.

“You could’ve woken me up.” Maul simply glared at her from his spot on the bed, trying to infuse as much malice as he could in his eyes at her pathetic response.

Ahsoka had returned his scathing look, and after a few seconds of nothing but hatred passing between the two, she had turned and stalked out of the room, slamming the door dramatically behind her. Maul had possessed a strong urge to follow her and antagonize her some more, but the bed was comfortable and the prospect of sleep had been tempting, so he had merely rolled over and succumbed to his exhaustion.

Over the next few days, Maul would go down into the nearby town during the daytime and gather information while Ahsoka stayed behind and slept. At first, he had been annoyed, feeling like he was doing the majority of the work, but it didn’t take long to realize that it was probably beneficial for only one of them to go into the city. For starters, the town was surprisingly bland and human; it was already difficult enough to blend in as a Dathomirian-Nightbrother-turned-Sith-Lord, and he couldn’t imagine how Ahsoka would fit in with her own distinctive features. It was probably smart to limit their exposure to the local people.

 _At least I can cover my face with my hood,_ Maul had mused cynically, _That damn Togruta’s montrals just get larger by the day._

The second reason that Maul realized it was best that Ahsoka stay away from the town was the content of the information he was receiving. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her (which, for the record, he didn’t), but because he doubted her stability and current state of mind to handle the harsh, jarring reality.

The ruthless denouncement of the Jedi Order was probably something she didn’t need to hear. Especially, Maul had decided, the choice words of barbed insult that would undeniably upset her even more than she already was about her dead friends.

It was also definitely in Maul’s best interest to keep the Jedi wanted dead by the Empire hidden from Ahsoka. He had been lurking in a particularly seedy bar when he heard a commotion from the back, where the bounty hunter kiosk stood. It hadn’t taken much effort to push his way to the front and discover, with well-concealed shock, that a long list of Jedi, who he could only assume had survived Sidious’ assassination attempt, was posted. Each name was assigned a remarkably hefty sum, the list headed by the words “Members of the Jedi Order: Traitors of the Empire Wanted Dead or Alive.”

Maul had wasted no time downloading the list and retreating to a hidden booth in the corner of the establishment where he could inspect the names in peace. The list, at first glance, appeared to be quite extensive, but when examining it from the grand scheme of the sheer size and reach of the Jedi Order, Maul couldn’t help but be impressed by Sidious’ thoroughness.

 _You certainly planned well, Master,_ Maul had thought, scrolling idly through the list, _But even so, not even you are infallible._

He was only familiar with a handful of the names on the list, with the accompanying pictures being incredibly useful in identifying the few Jedi he knew, or at least had heard of. He had found mild interest in the descriptions and bounties attached to each figure, finding private, twisted amusement by how the sum of the reward reflected how dangerous Palpatine viewed them.

After reading a particularly scathing description of the Jedi Quinlan Vos, it had suddenly occurred to him to check if his or Ahsoka’s name was on the list. Much to his relief, they were both absent, though he was certain that didn’t mean that Palpatine thought that they were dead. They were still at risk, but their lives would be made infinitely easier without a galaxy-wide target taped to their backs.

 _And,_ he had noticed as he perused the list, _no Kenobi._

The implication that Kenobi had been terminated by one of Sidious’ clones brought both wicked joy and fury to Maul. Elated by his apparent death, but devastated he had not been the one to do it, Maul couldn’t help but feel conflicted about the revelation. Defeating Kenobi had been his ultimate goal in life, the sheer thought of revenge for what he had done to him his main motivator for practically all of his actions and endeavors. Fueled by rage, the idea of killing Kenobi had been the only thing keeping Maul alive in his worst, lowest moments. Without him, Maul had felt a sense of emptiness in his chest, a hollowness that made him feel almost…

Purposeless.

In the end, it hadn’t mattered. For what seemed like the first time in his entire life since their fateful encounter on Naboo, Maul forced himself to _not_ think about Kenobi. There were bigger things to deal with; his petty squabble with his loathsome adversary was insignificant compared to the looming threat that the Emperor posed.

Yes, the thoughts of revenge that kept him alive, kept him _moving_ could be refocused onto Darth Sidious. After all, the Emperor had caused him almost as much pain and suffering as Kenobi had. He had as much of a bone to pick with his former master as he had with that wretched Jedi.

In the days they had spent on Bakura, Maul only interacted with Ahsoka very briefly. They would eat their dinner together in the overlap of time when Maul would return and Ahsoka would wake up. The small ritual was largely passed in silence, with Maul giving Ahsoka a _very_ watered-down summary of what he had learned that day.

“Sheev Palpatine has declared himself the Emperor of the galaxy.”

“General Grievous has been announced dead.”

“The Galactic Republic has been dissolved.”

Ahsoka would typically respond with disinterest, rarely even giving Maul the satisfaction of an acknowledgment.

“That was to be expected.”

“That news is good to hear, I suppose.”

“Well, that’s not ideal.”

Ahsoka’s apathy frustrated Maul to no end. While their petty arguments had initially been somewhat of a nuisance to him, with her snarky, stubborn personality grating on his _every_ last nerve, he now found himself missing the spark she had possessed when he first met her.

 _This is not who I envisioned myself working with_ , he had groused to himself one night before bed. Ahsoka’s dinnertime attitude that night had been particularly bland. _At this point, I’m better off killing her and doing this all on my own._

But he hadn’t. Whether the decision had been made from sheer complacency or simple laziness, Maul did not plot to terminate her. Not that it would’ve been very hard, with the lackluster state she was in. He just couldn’t be bothered; he had more pressing matters to attend.

After five days of this behavior, it crossed Maul’s mind that he had no idea what she did while he slept at night. She claimed she was keeping watch, but there was no way she just sat outside and stared at nothing for the entire nighttime portion of the planet’s rotation.

 _Eh, actually, that seems exactly like something she’d do_ , Maul had corrected himself, vivid memories of the Togruta sitting holed up in the freighter's sleeping quarters for a few rotations coming to mind. Her infuriating selfishness that had caused Maul to not sleep for an abhorrently extended period of time while he transported them to Bakura was not something he was going to forget easily.

Although he had been exhausted after a long day in the city, he had decided to find out what Ahsoka did during the night, retiring to the bedroom and feigning sleep as he listened for the sound of her leaving the rotting house. After he heard her close the shabby front door, he had waited a few minutes, staring at the small pair of lightsabers that had not been moved from their spot on the bedside table since the night of their arrival.

And that brought him to the present. Crossing his arms, Maul casually leaned against the doorframe of the house, golden eyes glowing in the dark as he studied his surroundings. The planet’s two moons were bright, bathing the landscape in a pale, silvery light. After a few moments of scanning the horizon, he saw her, her unmistakable silhouette sitting at the peak of the hill, still and unmoving.

A Jedi he was not, but it didn’t take much thought or knowledge to understand what she was doing. She was keeping vigil, presumably for her fallen brethren.

The tranquility of the scene sickened him.

Snorting derisively, Maul turned back to the house. However, instead of returning to his bed, he sat at the crooked, wobbly table that was placed next to the open window at the front of the house, the glass long since shattered. Intertwining his fingers and resting his head upon them, he sat in silence, watching Ahsoka’s poised form as she sat atop the hill.

His initial reaction was scorn. Of course, the pitiful, young Jedi would be this weak. Watching her hold vigil was repulsive, honoring the dead when it was their own fault that they perished. The dead should not be celebrated; there was no respect in the Sith tradition for those not strong enough to overcome adversity and opposition. The ability to survive, to acquire power and dominate those around you, _that_ was what commanded honor and acclaim. These Jedi that had been killed by Darth Sidious’ mindless pawns did not deserve the recognition that Ahsoka was giving them. And not only the Jedi, but the clones she was probably mourning over as well.

 _Especially,_ Maul thought venomously, _Especially not those deplorable, subhuman troopers that she called her friends._

However, Maul’s cynical disgust eventually softened the longer he watched her. It pained him to admit, but her reaction to the recent events was somewhat understandable. She was relatively young for someone in her unenviable position. While she had undoubtedly already seen and experienced many atrocities in the Clone Wars, just as he had, he understood that Sidious’ plan was unprecedented. In less than a rotation, she had lost almost everyone and everything she had ever known. Her Order, her entire network of safety, had been decimated right before her very eyes, leaving only her behind to pick up the pieces.

It killed him to sympathize with her. All those years of dark-side training obviously had not been enough to quell his weaker emotions. But in light of his unwanted, uncharacteristic sentiments, he realized that there was a devilishly positive side to this.

She had no one. Nothing. She was desperate.

It was something Maul could work to his advantage.

_I could mold her. Use her._

It was a novel idea. Unfortunately, the only setback was that she was currently lacking her fire, the spark that made her so formidable and valuable.

Maul rose from his seat, turning from his vantage point where he had a full view of her meditation to head towards the bedroom. He had one hand tucked behind his back and the other pressed against his chin in deliberation as he stalked across the uneven wooden floor. _Her current state is of no worry to me,_ he schemed, ideas blooming in his mind. _That insufferable spirit of Lady Tano will be restored soon enough_.

For now, he would let her mourn. But soon, when she finally returned to him, he would be ready. Together, they would be unstoppable.

Content, Maul entered the bedroom and laid down onto the bed, letting sleep overtake him as a new flicker of dark, foreboding hope blossomed deep in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh don’t you just love a good ol’ Maul POV? 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Catch y'all later!


	8. Inferno of Grief

Ahsoka sat in silence at the top of the hill, sighing as she retracted her expanded consciousness that stretched through the Force, extending as far into the furthest reaches of the galaxy as she possibly could. After yet another night of searching the Force for her friends and the other Jedi of her old Order, she was disappointed to come back empty handed. Despite picking apart the galaxy to the best of her ability, blending her essence with the fibers that connected every living being together until she could no longer tell where they started and she ended, she had found nothing.

Just a black, empty void, tinged with the echoes of the dead and tipped precariously close to the dark side of the Force.

Her desperate search doubled as a vigil for those who she knew were lost. When she had decided to honor her fallen brethren, she originally wanted to perform a ceremony reminiscent of the traditions of the Jedi, complete with a funeral pyre and a scripted speech. However, she had ultimately decided that it would have been a poor idea, as she truthfully didn’t know the first thing about constructing a pyre, much less the proper words to say. 

More importantly, she hadn’t wanted Maul to find out.

The thought of his scathing disapproval made her somewhat anxious, especially after the heated argument they had engaged in the first night. Not that she blamed him, she had essentially forced him to pilot the ship by himself for a few rotations. His crankiness was to be expected. Not that she would ever admit it to him, but Ahsoka felt guilty about how long she had meditated for. She hadn’t realized until she felt the life of Bakura through the Force that bloomed around the parked ship that she had sat holed up in that room for almost three rotations straight.

It only made sense that she let Maul sleep in the only bed in the shambled house he had found for them, her way of expressing quiet gratitude.

After bidding him a snappy goodnight, she had waited for the dark storm of the Force that constantly surrounded him to descend into a calm aura, indicating that he had finally fallen asleep, before returning to the ship to gorge herself. She had been starving, but she at least had the foresight to eat out of sight of Maul to prevent insulting him any more than she already had.

Once her hunger had been sated, she had made her way to the top of the hill the house was perched on the side of, using the Force and the pale moonlight to guide her way to its peak.

Ahsoka hoped that by claiming to keep watch during the night while he slept, Maul wouldn’t bother her or criticize her vigil. As far as she was concerned, the arrangement had worked.

She had held vigil five nights in a row. Now, on the morning of the sixth day, she felt the rising sun shine through her eyelids, the soft warmth chasing away the chills of the night. When she finally sensed the sun poke above the horizon, she fully returned her expanded conscious to her body and opened her eyes, squinting in the direct rays of light she faced. Standing up, she took a moment to stretch her cramped muscles and appreciate the new morning.

After composing herself, she turned to head back down toward the house. As she walked down the hill, the grass rolled and bent in waves around her, the gentle breeze icily kissing her exposed skin. She was tired, and more than ready to crawl into the small bed Maul would vacate when he headed out for the day. Shivering slightly, she brightened at the prospect of being bundled up in the cloaks they had brought in from the ship and used as blankets, blissfully hidden from the biting chill that kept her sharp and focused during her vigil. Secretly, Ahsoka enjoyed using the same bed as Maul, the cloaks prepped and warmed for her by his intense Zabrak body heat that lingered long after he left for the city. Not that she would ever tell him that, of course. That piece of information was on a strictly need-to-know basis… and Maul _certainly_ didn’t need to know.

After a few minutes of walking at a brisk pace, Ahsoka reached their shelter. Quietly, trying not to wake her housemate, she entered the structure, closing the door gently behind her.

“Good morning.”

Ahsoka started in surprise, both at the fact that Maul was already up and sitting at the table by the entryway and, more shockingly to her, that he bothered to greet her. Ultimately, she chose not to respond, keeping herself busy by grabbing some bland food from the pantry they had stocked the kitchen with.

The silence that stretched between them did not last very long. “What is it you do at night, Lady Tano?” he asked, his tone suspiciously innocent. His eyes tracked her movements as she walked through the main room of the house.

Ahsoka placed the food down on the table and sat across from him, refusing to meet his intense gaze. “Meditate,” she responded hoarsely, her voice raspy from disuse. “I keep watch, just like I said I would.”

Maul leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Meditate, hm?” he echoed.

Ahsoka kept her eyes fixated on the portions of food she prepared, sliding Maul’s share of breakfast over to his side of the table once the flavorless, bready substance finished rising. When she didn’t reply to his question, she felt his Force signature flare up in a dark mix of anger and frustration. While his exterior remained calm and guarded, she could feel his true emotions brewing under the surface in a dangerous, feral concoction.

She couldn’t bring herself to care or be worried by the impending threat.

Let him sit and brood.

“Tell me more about your meditation,” he pressed after a few quiet minutes.

Ahsoka shrugged, picking at her food. “I sit on top of the hill, and I meditate. Nothing much more to it.”

Force, she was exhausted.

“What do you meditate about?”

At this, Ahsoka looked up and met his sharp, calculating gaze. He was up to something, she was certain. It wasn’t like him to show genuine interest in anyone or anything other than himself.

“I connect myself to the Force. I feel what is around me,” she replied cautiously. Surely, he knew how meditations worked? He was a Sith, yes, but he wasn’t stupid.

Maul made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “Yes yes, but, is there anything else in particular you _think_ about, while you are up there?”

Ahsoka shook her head. “Um, no, I try to clear my mind.”

Of course, she was lying. During her ‘meditations’ atop the hill, between searching through the astral plane of the Force, she would actually do her best to honor and remember those she believed to be dead, keeping her mind sharp in vigil until the break of dawn.

“Why are you asking me these things, Maul?”

He took a bite out of the small portioned meal, shrugging casually. The breakfast wasn’t much, Ahsoka knew, but she was almost positive that Maul ate his fair share of food in the city during the day. As for her, the vigil had left her feeling rather drained and without an appetite, causing her to eat sparingly.

“Is it so wrong to ask?”

 _Yes,_ Ahsoka wanted to say, but she kept that thought to herself.

Returning her attention to her food, Ahsoka tore a piece from her portion, plopping the bread in her mouth. The grainy texture was tasteless and abrasive on her tongue, but it was better than eating nothing.

“How do the Jedi typically honor the dead?”

Ahsoka froze, her jaw stopping mid-chew. “I… what? Why do you care?”

He shrugged. “Entertain me.”

Ahsoka hesitated, feeling mild discomfort at sharing a sacred Jedi ritual with the Sith sitting across the table. Briefly weighing the cost in her mind, she decided it wouldn’t hurt to share a basic description. “Normally, when a Jedi dies, we honor them with a funeral pyre and a cremation ceremony.” Her words were clipped and guarded, not entirely sure how much of the tradition she should divulge. 

“Then that’s what we shall do.”

Ahsoka blinked, taken aback. “What?”

Maul laid his palms flat on the table and pushed himself out of his chair, walking past her and towards the exit. “A funeral pyre. We’ll make one when I return this afternoon.”

His clarification did little to ease Ahsoka’s confusion. “Wait, what? Why would you help me do this?” she asked, pivoting in her chair to face him as he paused by the door.

Maul flicked up the hood of his cloak, a newly acquired purchase that, while still black, fit his form a little better than the previous one had. “Don’t read too much into it, Lady Tano,” he grunted, a hand on the door handle. “If I’m being completely honest, you’re pretty much useless to me in this groveling state. Watching you mope and sulk about is _more_ than a little disheartening. If this funeral pyre will make you easier to work with, then by all means, I will help you construct it.”

With that, he exited, leaving Ahsoka alone in the house.

“Charming,” she grumbled under her breath, watching his dark figure walk away from the house. Finishing her breakfast, she stood up and headed towards the bedroom to finally sleep. While Maul’s bizarre display of kindness, however backwards, was very thoughtful and even comforting, she couldn't help but be wary and put on edge by his proposition. It was very out of character. The more she thought about it, the more confused she became, until she found herself too tired to fully contemplate or understand the intricacies of his offering.

She entered the bedroom, flopping on top of the bed. Much to her solace, the blankets and cloaks strewn haphazardly across the frame were still warm to the touch. Burying herself in their embrace, Ahsoka drifted off to sleep, accompanied by dreams of the promised pyre that blazed behind her closed eyes.

-

True to his promise, Maul returned to the house earlier than normal, waking Ahsoka up as he entered the house in the late afternoon. The slamming of the door startled her so that she practically jumped out of bed, her stiff muscles aching in protest at the sudden movement.

“You’re back early,” she yawned as Maul entered the bedroom, vigorously rubbing her eyes to jerk herself awake.

He leaned against the doorframe, watching her untangle herself from the bedding and stretch herself out. “The town was uneventful today,” he explained idly, “and I figured it would be best to give ourselves ample time to prepare.”

Memories of their discussion about the pyre flashed through Ahsoka’s mind, and she nodded blearily, trying to conceal her mounting excitement.

Maul shed his cloak and tossed it on the floor beside the bed, turning to leave. “We should probably begin by collecting wood and kindling in the forest on the hillside.” He pointed in the direction of the small gathering of trees that their ship was poorly concealed in. “I figure that it only makes sense to construct the pyre on top of the hill, seeing that is where you hold your… _meditations_. We want to do this properly, after all.”

Ahsoka followed him outside of the house, the pair heading toward the tree line. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows on their forms that danced and waved over the grass as they walked in silence. The day was nice and warm, and Ahsoka reveled on how the sun felt on her skin. The past few nights she had been hidden in the dark; she hadn’t ever been awake to experience the warmth of the daytime.

Once in the shade of the forest, she and Maul split up to work separately. She scoured the floor for fresh branches and sticks, looking for larger ones to help construct the base of the structure. Brushing a few decaying leaves off of a promising stump half buried in the earth, she pulled at its thick end, triumphantly ripping it from the ground and revealing it’s girth. Satisfied, she had started cleaning off some of the residual leaves and dirt when she heard an earsplitting crack ring through the forest from behind her.

She spun around just in time to see Maul finish tearing a large branch off of a tree, grinning maniacally as he pulled the splintered piece of wood free.

“Maul!” She exclaimed in shock. “What are you doing?!”

He shot her a look, grasping the rudely severed branch between his two arms. “What?” He had to arch his back at an odd angle and crane his neck to see her around the branch’s bulk of green leaves. It was much larger than he was, almost comically so. She wondered how he was going to manage carrying it up the hill.

“Why did you rip that off the tree?! There’s plenty of dead branches on the ground!”

He grunted noncommittally. “It’s not like the tree needed it.” And with that, he turned and began hobbling out of the forest and up the hill, the ends of the oversized branch dragging awkwardly behind him.

Ahsoka shook her head in disbelief. Even when he was doing something nice (even though she was confident he had some secret, ulterior motive as to why he was helping her), he was so utterly destructive. His disregard for life was astounding, his violent tendencies downright alarming.

Returning her attention to her own branch, Ahsoka balanced it so she was carrying it in her arms and made her way towards the top of the hill. Maul had beaten her to the top and was breaking off the smaller twigs and sticks attached to the main body of the branch, grumbling to himself as he tore the leaves off and dumped them carelessly on the ground.

“That looks like it’s a lot of work,” Ahsoka commented cheekily, dropping her branch that was devoid of leaves onto the ground next to him.

He merely glowered at her and didn’t respond, ripping off the leaves with fierce, renewed vigor.

Whether he listened to her or simply didn’t want to bother stripping any more fresh, leafy branches, Maul switched to foraging the forest floor, joining Ahsoka in her hunt for branches that were already dead. Though, Ahsoka noticed, he was remarkably stubborn in how every piece of wood he hauled up the hill had to be absurdly big, sometimes being double his size. Her branches weren’t nearly as large as his, a fact he seemed to relish in, judging by the smug look on his face every time they passed each other.

 _Stupid Sith,_ Ahsoka grumbled to herself as she dragged a particularly thick bough that was almost her height out of the forest. _Stupid Sith and their stupid pride._

They continued to work as the afternoon faded into evening, finally stopping when they amassed a sizeable pile of wood stacked crookedly on top of the hill. The bottom of the sun had just touched the horizon, giving them about an hour left of light to work before it would be too dark.

Maul placed his hands on his hips and studied their pile. “I think it is time to begin the construction.” His forehead was beaded with sweat, his chest slightly heaving from the exertion of carrying so many branches up the hill. “It would be wise to use the largest branches to build the support.”

Ahsoka nodded in agreement, turning to help him sort through the pile to find the ones they needed. Separating the five longest, sturdiest branches, they arranged them in a circle, propping them up so that they were braced by how they leaned up against each other in the middle. Once the base was deemed stable, they began to add the smaller branches in between, resting them against each other until a sizable cone-shaped mound was formed.

Ahsoka finished by adding some kindling and twigs to the bottom of the pyre, stepping back to admire her handiwork once she was done. “There,” she said, moving to stand by Maul, “I think that should be good enough.”

In response, Maul pulled out his lightsaber hilt. Ahsoka dumbly realized that she had left her own sabers back at the house, and with no other way to light the fire coming to mind, began to leave to go grab it. However, she was stopped in her tracks when she saw Maul hold up the saber in offering, motioning for her to grab it.

“I shouldn’t…” she started lamely, trying to deny the gesture as politely as she could.

He snorted, thrusting it at her impatiently. “Come on, just take it. I am not going to sit here and wait for you to go grab yours.” 

Grappling with his reasoning, Ahsoka hesitantly grabbed it from him, being instantly reminded of just how _heavy_ the hilt was as he drew his hand away and the full weight of the metal rested in her palm. Whereas her saber hilt was light and elegant, his was bulky and imposing, a true weapon of destruction.

 _Fitting_ , she thought dryly to herself, resting her thumb upon the button of the saber.

Holding it out from her body, she ignited it, the crimson blade roaring to life before her. Its piercing scarlet light cast a haunting glow across her, its thrumming energy vibrating through her body. It felt wrong to use a Sith blade to light the pyre meant to honor her friends and order, almost like a disservice, as if she was betraying them.

_How did I let this happen? How did I fall so far?_

She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. No. She didn’t fall, she was still alive. She was the one who was here to build the pyre, to honor those who were gone. It was her duty, her responsibility to give back to those who had raised and trained her, who had guided her so far through her life.

Slowly, her eyes glued, unblinking, to the hypnotizing light of Maul’s saber, she walked forward to the structure. Bending down, she held the blade out so that it was almost touching the kindling she had packed around the base. The smell of smoking, burning wood filled the air as the sticks and leaves smoldered, eventually catching and setting a small flame.

Retracting the plasma blade, Ahsoka hooked the hilt on her belt and stepped back to rejoin Maul, watching the fire slowly grow to engulf the entire structure.

The sun dipped below the horizon, the sky darkening from it’s dusky shades of blue to a deep indigo. As night fell, the light of the fire rose to meet it, steadily expanding until it roared at a dangerous level. The sounds of the popping, crackling wood mingled with the low hum of the planet’s nightlife, the heavy, thick smell of smoke wafting through the air.

Standing beside Maul, Ahsoka closed her eyes. She had never done this before, only witnessing it a few times. She knew that there were certain words to be spoken, certain rituals to follow, but the words and actions eluded her. She feared she would not be able to do it justice, that she would fail to properly serve and honor the dead.

 _I never was one to be conventional_ , Ahsoka thought, taking a deep breath.

So, she said nothing, expanding her conscience into the Force much as she had done the past few nights, but this time with a different purpose. Instead of searching, she simply blended, melding herself with the greater network of life that surrounded the planet, the galaxy. Succumbing to tranquility, Ahsoka payed her respects and tribute in a quiet meditation.

After several minutes spent in reverence, Ahsoka suddenly became aware of Maul, whose presence she had somehow forgotten during the course of her quiet reflection. She opened her eyes, fully withdrawing her presence from the extended fibers of the Force and back to her body.

He stood with his arms crossed, a deep scowl etched on his face. The firelight danced across his markings, highlighting them with its intense glow. The dramatic lighting exaggerated his anger, his fierce, imposing figure that stood ominously next to her. A monster, a creature from the dark straight from her worst nightmares, and yet…

He wasn't. In fact, while the light cast across his face made him appear sharper, it also, in a way, softened his features, the glow from the fire illuminating him with strange gentleness. The subtle vulnerability, the realization that he was more than simply a terrorizing, murderous menace, confused her. Not for the first time, she didn't know what to make of it. 

She took a deep breath. 

“Is there anyone you wish to honor?” Ahsoka’s voice was soft and barely audible above the roar of the fire.

Maul was quiet, and Ahsoka felt foolish asking. Either he hadn’t heard her, or he had no one to speak of, the latter being a high possibility in her mind. Maul did not seem like the one who would form attachments. In fact, regardless of any potential camaraderie he may have experienced throughout his life, he also seemed like the type to condemn the deceased and see those who died as weak and unworthy of praise or memory.

She was surprised when he answered. “My brother,” he said in a low, solemn tone.

His gaze was haunted, his expression looking almost remorseful. Sorrow was not an emotion Ahsoka knew he was capable of feeling.

She couldn’t help but ask, “You had a brother?”

“Yes, Savage Oppress.”

Ah, yes, that made sense. She had heard of Maul and his apprentice, Savage Oppress, a figure she was vaguely familiar with but had never had the misfortune of personally meeting. She recalled how they controlled the crime syndicates and terrorized Mandalore, being recognized as a high-level threat by the Jedi Council. She hadn’t realized the correlation between the two, and certainly hadn’t known that Savage had died, though she probably could have figured as much when she confronted Maul on Mandalore and he had been alone.

As Ahsoka’s mind raced at the revelation of the connection, Maul continued talking, tearing her away from her thoughts. “He was slaughtered by Darth Sidious.” The familiar, biting anger had returned to his tone, devoid of the twinge of sadness that had been present mere moments earlier.

Ahsoka didn’t know what to say. From what she heard, Savage had been a ruthless monster, killing several Jedi and countless more innocents. She could not, in good faith, mourn him, but seeing Maul appear so distraught over his death struck a chord in her heart that she couldn’t ignore. 

“I’m sorry.”

It wasn’t much and probably meant very little coming from her, but Maul seemed to accept it, silent gratitude and acceptance shining in his eyes as he turned back to the fire.

They stood side by side, shoulder to shoulder, in silence, staring into the flames. It was a moment of reflection, of quiet coexistence. Ahsoka was still painfully aware of their differences, but standing united by a common threat and a shared pain, she was slowly able to see that they were both victims of the war. While she had once seen Maul as merely the villain needed to be brought to justice, she now saw him as misunderstood. Still violent, treacherous, Sith-like, and _very_ dangerous, but, at the same time, as much of a victim as she was. She began to realize that, in order to make a lasting change, she would need to actively work with him.

She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

Not for the first time, she found herself confused. His offering of partnership puzzled her. Why would Maul, someone who openly despised and had killed Jedi, want her to join him? She knew she wasn’t _technically_ a Jedi, but she had been trained one and was close associates of one of his enemies. An enemy, it was worth noting, that he loathed with every fiber of his being. He had been admittedly desperate and afraid in the moment on Mandalore, but why not run and escape without her? 

Before she fully committed herself to collaborating with him to confront Sidious, she needed her questions answered.

“Tell me,” Ahsoka began, watching the firelight dance across Maul’s face. “Tell me honestly. Why me?”

His eyes flashed in the flickering light, the golden reflection lost in the pyre’s fiery depths. “You’re going to have to be a bit more specific, Lady Tano.”

“You know what I mean. Why would you work with me? Why would you _want_ to work with me? How could this possibly benefit you in any way?” Ahsoka fingered the tips of her lekku nervously.

It took Maul a long time to answer. He seemed to mull over his words, lost in thought as he scowled into the fire. Ahsoka waited patiently, basking in the warmth of the fire that rolled over her skin in waves that helped ward off the creeping coolness of the night.

“It… is difficult to explain,” he finally said, his voice quiet and slow.

“Just, try,” Ahsoka prompted.

“I suppose… I must admit that I cannot do this alone,” he began. “Darth Sidious is an _incredibly_ powerful man. Absurdly so. He beat my brother and I singlehandedly, and he was hardly trying.” He shook his head in regret. “If we couldn’t defeat him together, then how could I face him now, on my own?”

The question hung in the air, but Ahsoka didn’t respond, sensing he had more to say.

After a moment, he resumed speaking. “Not many are capable of matching me in lightsaber combat. While I must clarify, our little duel on Mandalore was far from my best performance, your skills are certainly noteworthy. You impressed me, Lady Tano, and even though my expectations were low for someone I had never before heard of, you proved yourself a worthy adversary.

“I believe in destiny, and I believe in the will of the Force. The Force brought you to me, and while you may be an _absolute nightmare_ on your best days…”

“Gee, thanks,” Ahsoka interjected dryly.

“…and a petulant brat, if I may add,” Maul continued, “you are a formidable opponent, not to mention quite powerful with the Force. Besides, it’s not like I have many other options right now.”

Ahsoka fell silent, digesting his words with care. She could sense no ill intent, no attempts to deceive her with his admission. His tone was genuine, as far as she could tell. Staring into the fire, she felt her wariness and trepidation abate, as, for the first time since the clones turned on her, she found herself understanding the path laid before her with unprecedented clarity.

“I will join you.” Ahsoka said, the strength that had been absent for the past few days returning, her voice filled with passion and resolve.

There was a beat. “You will join me?” Maul repeated, confusion coloring his voice. “I thought you had already agreed to work with me? What is this deception, have you not been with me this entire time?”

Ahsoka laughed at Maul’s affronted expression. It was a genuine sound, one that was relieving to feel echo throughout her body after the recent days she had spent in sorrow and misery.

It felt good.

Maul’s bafflement shifted into a deep-set scowl. “I fail to see how this is humorous,” he growled, crossing his arms over his chest like a stubborn child.

“My apologies,” Ahsoka quickly said, composing herself. “I _was_ with you. But now, I am fully, wholeheartedly committed. I am ready to help you defeat Darth Sidious and restore peace and balance to the galaxy.”

Her words softened his frown, his expression settling into one that looked legitimately pleased.

“But,” She held up a finger, “my previous condition still stands.”

Maul’s eyes narrowed in apprehension, the frown returning to his face.

“If he is still alive, we do not kill Anakin Skywalker.”

He sneered, the pleasant expression on his face transforming into a mask of disgust. “Of course, how could I forget, your precious _master._ ”

Ahsoka pursed her lips, slightly dismayed by Maul’s reaction. “There is still good in him!” She protested. “If what you say is true, if he really has turned to the dark side, I know from the bottom of my heart that he is not lost. He can’t be.”

Maul growled, his face contorting. “Anakin Skywalker is dead! He has fallen to the dark side! What part of that do you not understand? You cannot just _save_ him, not now! The light is gone from him. There will be nothing left by the time you get to him, only darkness.”

Ahsoka shook her head, “No. Anakin would never _turn_ like that. He can’t be completely gone.”

“You know it to be true.”

Ahsoka shook her head again, this time a little more vigorously. “Even if it is, I can bring him back to the light! _Please_ Maul,” Ahsoka pleaded, “Let me try.”

Maul glared at her, brow furrowed in frustration. Ahsoka held his stare, silently begging with her eyes. “Fine,” he relented, “Even thought it would be _infinitely_ easier if we would just kill him, we’ll do it your way. I’ll play by your rules.”

Ahsoka averted her gaze, her heart filling with gratitude. “Thank you,” she whispered, not looking up from her hands folded tightly in front of her.

She didn’t expect Maul to respond, so she was surprised when she heard him sigh. “Anytime, Lady Tano,” he muttered. “Just make sure that you make it worth the effort.”

There was gruff aggression in his voice, but even so, Ahsoka smiled slightly. For the first time since escaping the ship headed to Coruscant, she felt genuinely optimistic, like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

Her attention returned to the funeral pyre that blazed before her, a crackle of sparks bursting before her eyes. Though she was still a little doubtful about Maul’s intentions for Anakin, if they managed to find him alive that is, she knew that she would have to accept his agreement for now.

 _Anakin, I know you’re out there._ Ahsoka wanted to reach out with the Force, but she already knew what she would find. Darkness, emptiness, nothing. The small flickers of light she had once been able to feel across the galaxy snuffed out like weak candles, leaving nothing but a black, cold void. She had been reaching out for the past few days, but nothing had changed.

She couldn’t help but fear the worst. She knew so many Jedi had been slaughtered, and it pained her to believe that Anakin’s absence in the Force meant that he had met a similar fate.

 _He’s probably in hiding,_ she reasoned with herself. _Just like we are. Just like I’m sure many of us are._

Ahsoka didn’t know what she would do if it was revealed that her and Maul were the only ones left.

Actually, that was a lie. She knew _exactly_ what she’d do. She would probably gouge her eyes out with her lightsaber, and then curse the Force for her rotten luck and its sick sense of humor, all before jumping off a cliff to just end it all.

She wished her friends were with her. They’d think her predicament was funny and would help her find a way to laugh at it.

_Anakin, Obi-Wan, Rex. They’re all gone._

_I really am the only one left._

She didn’t realize there were tears in her eyes until they were rolling down her face. Blinking rapidly to try and clear them, she subtly wiped at her moist cheeks, hoping Maul hadn’t noticed. This was the first time she cried for her lost friends; before, she had simply been numb, functioning on autopilot.

They stood there for what felt like hours, the two moons slowly rising in the sky as the two unlikely allies sat in comfortable silence. Ahsoka watched the fire, not looking away until all she was left looking at was a smoldering pile of glimmering embers. She was content to stand there, lost in her thoughts, when she felt a hand rest heavily on her shoulder. It was warm, the touch being oddly soothing. Ahsoka finally broke her gaze away from the ashy remains of the pyre and made eye contact with Maul. Although she was barely able to make out his features in the dim light, she could have _sworn_ he looked at her with an expression of sympathy.

The thought was absurd and immediately discarded.

“Come, Lady Tano.” His voice was low and barely discernible above the crackling and popping of the dying fire. “It is time we head home.”

She weakly nodded, allowing his comforting touch to steer her away from the fire and down the hill. _Home,_ she thought absentmindedly, _what an odd choice of words._

Nonetheless, the funeral left her feeling reinvigorated, her spark of rebellion ignited by the flaming pyre. Walking down the hill beside Maul, Ahsoka made a promise to herself and the ghosts of her deceased brethren. As long as she was alive, she would do everything in her power to ensure that the spirit of the Jedi Order would never die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all it has been an absolute ROLLERCOASTER of a week! I flew back to Omaha for classes, and then took a roadtrip to Minneapolis with some friends, MiDwEsT sTyLe. But, while in Minneapolis, I found out I had been exposed to someone with covid-19 so I had to go into isolation and take my classes remotely for the first week. Grr! Amgery >:( What's the point of going to school in Nebraska if you can't take your classes in person smh
> 
> Luckily, I just found out earlier today that I tested negative so YEAHYUH, HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT YET we out here thriving bro


	9. A New Purpose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO I'M BACK FROM THE DEAD!!! I'm so sorry about the longer wait for this chapter, since school started I have been *considerably* busier, so I apologize for that!
> 
> BUT DO NOT FRET! As I mentioned in previous comments, I actually have a complete outline for this fic, believe it or not! (if you knew me, you would know that this is HIGHLY uncharacteristic, I’m about as messy and disorganized as it gets ahaha #yikes). Basically, rest assured that this story is going somewhere and I have plans for it, I SWEAR. Even if some chapters may take a little longer than others to publish, I have full intentions of seeing this through to the end! 
> 
> Anyways I'm going to shut up now, this chapter is my personal favorite so far, so please enjoy! ;)

Ahsoka and Maul sat across the table from each other, each nibbling at their tasteless portions in a comfortable silence. Warm sunlight filtered through the open window, the chills of the night being fully chased away as the sun started it’s slow climb in the sky. With one hand, Maul idly rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, trying to fully wake himself up. Thanks to the funeral pyre, he had gone to bed much later than intended; not so much that he couldn’t function, but just enough to be a mild nuisance. 

After the fire had died down and they made their way back, they had stood in the main room of the house, staring at each other for a minute, neither knowing what to say. Following the extended moment of silence, Ahsoka had gestured toward the door to the bedroom, insisting that he went to bed. “Thank you for your help,” she told him, “but I still must hold up my end of the bargain and keep watch.”

Part of him had felt inclined to argue, but it was late, and he was tired. After all, he still fully intended to go into town in the morning, regardless of his severely reduced sleep schedule. So, he left her, taking one last glance over his shoulder as he closed the bedroom door behind him to see her peacefully seated at the table by the window, her face bathed in silvery moonlight as she gazed out at the hill.

It had been a pleasant surprise to wake up to breakfast already prepared. The bland food, while barely palatable, was just enough to satisfy the hunger that clawed at his growling stomach. He’d have to grab something more substantial when he went into town, but the meager portions would have to suffice for the time being.

“Are you still going into the city today?” Ahsoka asked, her voice cutting through his thoughts.

“I don’t see why I wouldn’t,” he curtly replied.

She nodded as if his response was to be expected, like he was reading it off a script. “Well if that’s the case, then I’m coming with you.”

Maul paused mid chew, the surprise of her words interrupting his menial meal. He swallowed, cocking his head to the side in mild confusion. “And tell me, _why_ do you want to do that?” His tone was cool and guarded, his mind racing to discover her true motives for her sudden change of heart. He had grown quite accustomed to their little schedule; the thought of her accompanying him into the city certainly threw a wrench in a good number of his plans and side schemes.

He had been very busy the past few days, fully utilizing his privacy to do a few things he was almost certain Ahsoka wouldn’t approve of. Even though he was in hiding and on the run, he still had his private endeavors (if they could even be called that) to uphold and maintain while he spent time out of the limelight.

_Curses, maybe that funeral pyre wasn’t the brightest idea, if she’s now ready to insert herself in all of my business!_

Before him, Ahsoka shrugged, picking at her food. “To tell the truth, I’ve grown a bit antsy these past few days. I’m ready to do something, ready to, I don’t know, get out there. I miss the action, I want to be useful.”

Maul reclined in his chair, resting his fists on the edge of the table. “You’re most useful here, where you’re out of the way.”

“Out of the way?” Ahsoka visibly bristled, and Maul resisted the urge to wince at his less-than-savory choice of words. He was thankfully able to squash that show of weakness before it manifested in a physical action; Force forbid his little acquaintance think she had any influence over him.

“Not _out of the way_ , so to speak, more like…” he trailed off, not knowing how exactly how to phrase his apprehension, being mindful of searching for the proper words to convey his worries. “We’re more suspicious together,” he eventually explained. “We’re much more likely to be noticed if we’re seen with each other.”

Ahsoka snorted, clearly not believing his reasoning. “Oh really? Noticed by who?”

At this Maul didn’t immediately answer, reluctant to divulge what waited for them in the city. He had just gotten her _back_ , the absolute last thing he wanted to do was mention something that would trigger her to spiral into a deep depression yet again. Dealing with those sappy emotions once was already severely pushing on Maul’s threshold for sentimental compassion.

Luckily for him, Ahsoka seemed to pick up on the implications he laid out for her, her eyes going wide and her skin blanching slightly. “There are clones,” she stated in a whisper, the sound of her voice tinged with a slight waver.

“Yes,” Maul agreed, “And I don’t want you causing any problems because of them.”

“I won’t cause any problems!”

“Then you’ll just be a burden.”

“I’m not a burden!”

“Oh please,” Maul scoffed. “Ever since we’ve landed on Bakura you’ve been nothing _but_ a burden!”

“Well, then let me prove myself!” She leaned forward over the table with an air of desperation, a pleading look in her eyes. “Let me show you I can handle myself.”

Maul met her gaze, holding it critically for a prolonged moment until he finally relented. “Fine,” he grunted, pushing himself out of his chair. “But the moment _anything_ suspicious happens, we are coming straight back here, and you will remain here until we leave this system. I’m not having you jeopardize our position on this planet just because you can’t deal with your deplorable emotions.”

Ahsoka stood up to meet him, her face stretching in a smile despite his rather harsh words. “Let me go grab my cloak,” she said, unable to keep the bubbling excitement from bleeding into her voice. Maul shook his head. Her enthusiasm, while a welcome change in pace from the moping mess she was only a day prior, was very cloying. Not to mention, it would likely be short-lived, as he was confident that the moment she saw the clones that patrolled the city, she would wilt and crumble.

 _Ah, well, it was fun while it lasted,_ he thought cynically to himself, lamenting over the wasted efforts of constructing the funeral pyre. All that work to bring her back was now almost certainly going to be thrown away like garbage. He had tried though, hadn’t he? He had helped her more than he should have, done more for her than he had for anybody else.

Maul pressed a light fist into his forehead, reminding himself the reasons why he had helped her in the first place. It was so that she would be more useful to him. That was the only reason why. He didn’t care about her wellbeing, only her ability to serve her purpose in helping him defeat Sidious.

If that was all there was to it, then why did it feel so convoluted? So muddled?

Maul’s idle musings were interrupted when he heard the bedroom door open with a long creak, Ahsoka’s light footsteps following shortly after.

Watching her emerge from the bedroom, wearing her gray cloak, a strange, unwelcome thought occurred to him. That cloak was the exact one he had been covered in as he slept.

And she was wearing it.

His brow furrowed and his nose scrunched in disgust as he turned sharply away to avoid meeting her gaze. His jaw clenched as he gritted his teeth, grinding them together impulsively. That didn’t matter. Why should he care?

“Ready?” she asked, evidently oblivious to the fact that she was completely covered in the cloak he had been wrapped in a mere hour earlier.

He only needed a split second to compose himself. “Of course, I’ve been the one out here waiting,” he replied as smoothly as he could, turning on his heel and hastily storming out the door without waiting to see if she was following.

If she noticed his abrupt change in demeanor, she didn’t say anything as they walked in silence down the path. Snaking down the side of the hill, it narrowly wove through the tall grass, forcing them to walk single file. Maul was grateful for the brief respite, allowing him to gather his thoughts and refocus his concentration.

By the time they reached the entrance of the city, he had completely centered himself, his expression set in a hard, stoic expression. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Ahsoka warily look around from beneath the rim of her hood. The city, while far from the seediest place he had ever been in, was still large and very unpredictable. He couldn’t fault her for being cautious.

Maul took time to quickly scan their surroundings as well. He had seen quite a few clone squadrons roaming the streets the past few days, but it hadn’t been an overly alarming amount. They had been easy enough to avoid. Initially, he had been surprised that there had already been troopers stationed out this far in the corner of the galaxy, but had eventually conceded that the resources of the former Republic and the sheer magnitude of their army allowed them to accomplish such wide coverage. He had no doubt every planet connected to a major trade route, such as Bakura, were being actively patrolled. In all honesty, it would be a minor inconvenience, at best.

However, that didn’t make it any less irritating.

They had been walking down the main street when he heard them, the clattering sound of their armor while they marched being unmistakable. Looking up slightly to try and find the source, he quickly spotted a squad of troopers walking in a crisp formation two across and six long down the center of the road. Subtly angling their path away from them, Maul guided Ahsoka to the side of the street, their bodies hugging closely to the walls of the towering buildings. While he had grown accustomed to the sight, he abruptly realized that these were the first clones she had seen since their brief run-in with them on Ambria. Beside him, he felt Ahsoka stiffen, her step faltering as she saw the armored troopers march past them down the street. Her eyes widened, and he heard her breath catch in the back of her throat as she froze in shock.

Of course. He shouldn’t have expected anything different.

“Tano,” he muttered under his breath, keeping his eyes forward and pace steady. “Let’s not make a scene.”

Although she didn’t verbally acknowledge him, he watched her face shift into one of hardened resolve. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth thinned in a firm line of determination. Lengthening her stride to match his, Maul found himself somewhat pleased with her ability to compose herself. Obviously, in an ideal world, this wouldn’t even be a problem in the first place, but he would have to make do.

 _They_ would have to make do.

Spotting a bar that looked promising, Maul pulled Ahsoka toward the entrance and out of view from the troopers as they marched past. Even with their hoods and baggy cloaks, he didn’t want to take any unnecessary chances. Entering the dimly lit establishment, Maul pointed in the direction of a small, empty booth lining the wall. Ahsoka nodded in silent agreement, following him as they sat down to occupy the sticky, grimy table.

They waited, neither speaking as they sat and listened to the quiet clamor of the bar move around them. Even though it was late morning, there were a surprising amount of people occupying the room.

After a few minutes, Ahsoka interrupted their mutual silence. “We should be trying to find other Jedi. I know they’re out there, if only we just…”

Maul scoffed. “I’m going to cut you off right there,” he said pointedly, ignoring her affronted reaction. “I can tell you with utmost certainty that the absolute _last_ thing we want to do is find other Jedi.”

“Why would we _not_ want other Jedi? They could help us!”

He shook his head. “That’s where you’re mistaken. They’d only hinder us.” Ahsoka opened her mouth and began to speak in protest, but he interrupted her before she had the chance to say anything. “Think about it! The more Force-sensitives there are in one place, the more attention we would call to ourselves! Our chances are greatest with only two. Any more, and Sidious would find us in a heartbeat.” 

“That doesn’t even make any sense,” Ahsoka hissed. “Don’t we want to fight Sidious? Why not just let him bring the fight to us?”

“We’re not _ready._ Need I remind you what happened to my brother and I last time Sidious took the fight to me?” Maul felt a pang in his heart, a stab of darkness as he vividly recalled the source of his hatred for his former master.

“Maybe that happened because there were only two of you,” Ahsoka said, crossing her arms and looking stubbornly away. Her words triggered a swell of anger to blossom in his chest, his nostrils flaring in fury. How _dare_ she have the _audacity_ to insult him and his brother like this! To spit in his face and mock his defeat, implying that he wasn't good enough, not _capable_ of defeating Sidious! How dare she question his strength and power! 

Struggling to control his temper, Maul stood up, his fists clenched tightly by his side. “We’re not contacting any Jedi, and that is _final_.”

“Where are you going?” Ahsoka asked, her voice laced with skepticism.

Maul looked down the length of his nose at her, his face contorting in a poorly concealed sneer. “I’m going to go get us a drink,” he all but snapped. It was a flimsy excuse, but he needed to step away from the situation, from her _arrogance_ before he did something he regretted.

It had been so much easier when he was by himself.

Stalking away before she had the chance to respond, Maul walked up to the bar, signaling the attention of a bartender with a small lift of his fingers. Putting down the glassware he had been polishing, the man walked over, wisely not commenting on Maul’s aggressive stance and dark demeanor. “What would you like?“

“Something potent for me,” Maul said, pressing his fingers into his temple and vigorously massaging the spot to stave off the headache he felt flaring up. “And your cheapest for her.” At this, he jerked his head back slightly to gesture to where Ahsoka sat alone in the booth.

“Might I recommend—”

“Yes, whatever,” Maul said, cutting him off. He couldn’t be bothered to tend to the specifics and was far from being in the mood to feign politeness.

The few minutes he spent waiting for his drinks allowed him to calm down and gather his rampant emotions. While normally he wouldn’t try to sever his ties to the dark side, he knew it was necessary to attempt to suppress it a little bit in the interest of cooperating with Ahsoka. His brooding was interrupted when the bartender served him his drinks, the liquid sloshing about as the cups slid across the counter. Placing a credit ingot on the table in payment, Maul grabbed the two mugs, being mindful not to spill their contents. Walking back across the dirty, scuffed floor of the bar, he made his way to where Ahsoka was sitting, her hood pulled up and her head down. Being mindful not to spill their drinks, he gingerly placed them on the table’s grubby surface and slid into the seat of the booth opposite of Ahsoka.

“Here, try this,” he said, giving her cup a small push in her direction as he settled into his seat.

Ahsoka inspected the drink, the corners of her lips turning slightly downward as she peered into its dark contents. “What is it?” She asked dubiously.

“It’s a Bakuran specialty drink,” he lied. He actually had no idea what it was.

She looked up to meet his eyes, the distrust evident. “Is it any good?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never tried it.”

“Then why would you get it for me?”

“I don’t know,” he exclaimed impatiently, “The man at the counter said I should get it!”

Ahsoka grabbed it cautiously, pulling it closer to her. “Does it… do anything?”

Maul snorted. “If you’re asking if it will get you drunk, the answer is no.” He doubted the cheapest drink the bar had to offer had the power to do so.

She took a hesitant sip of the drink, her features scrunching up in reaction to the taste. Watching her face contort and relax, Maul took notice of her facial markings for what seemed like the first time. They reminded him of his own tattoos in an odd, inverse way.

They were kind of pleasing to look at.

 _That was a stupid thought,_ Maul growled mentally, scowling as he immediately distracted himself by tilting his head back and taking an aggressive swig of his drink.

After he took a moment to clear his mind, he looked back at Ahsoka. He could see her tongue working in her cheek as she tasted it, fingers drumming against the side of the cup in contemplation. “How is it?” he asked, being cautious to not sound too invested in her opinion and trying to come across as nonchalant as possible.

She finally swallowed. “It’s a little bitter, but also fruity? I like it.” She offered the cup to him. “Want to try?”

Maul hesitated, eyeing the mug in apprehension.

“ _Come on,_ ” she prodded, waving the cup around in an effort to make it look more enticing. “You can’t buy me a drink you’ve never had before without having a little taste.”

He grunted, going for another sip of his own drink. “Watch me.” 

“You’re no fun,” Ahsoka huffed. “What did you say it was, again? A Bakuran Specialty?”

Maul didn’t respond.

She pressed on. “What, are you scared of a little drink? Nervous that it’ll bite?”

He finally relented, rising to bite her bait. “Give it here,” he snapped, “just so you’ll _shut up_ about it.”

Ahsoka smiled smugly, sliding the mug across the table into his open palm. Kriff, she was so _insufferable_. Maul was sorely tempted to finish the drink off and return to her an empty cup, but decided that the ensuing argument would not be worth it. There would be plenty of other things to fight about, and this did not need to be one of them.

Grumbling to himself, Maul picked up the warm mug and took a small drink, being particularly mindful of placing his mouth on the opposite side of where he had seen Ahsoka touch her lips to the rim for her own drink.

Not that he had been watching.

Holy Force, he needed to get a grip.

Thankfully, his attention was quickly diverted by the taste of the drink in his mouth. She hadn’t been lying, it was very bitter, with some fruity undertones. It wasn’t terrible, but it sure wasn’t his favorite. He much preferred the strongly-alcoholic he had gotten for himself.

“Well?” Ahsoka looked at him expectantly.

“It’s very nice,” he said tightly, not bothering to conceal his displeasure at being forced to drink the beverage as he passed the mug back across the table.

Ahsoka smirked, grabbing it from him and taking another sip, cradling the cup in her hands. “See? That wasn’t so bad.” Maul couldn’t help but notice that she was much less conscious of where she placed her lips to take a sip, the corners of her mouth dangerously close to where his had been on the mug mere seconds earlier.

Furious at himself for thinking about such things, Maul glowered into his cup, his already sour mood aggravated.

They like that in silence, carefully eavesdropping on the conversations that drifted around them throughout the bar. There was a lot of mindless chatter, a lot of useless information that Maul had to filter through. He had closed his eyes and was skimming the minds around him with the Force when he was suddenly rudely interrupted by Ahsoka.

“Who is _that?_ ”

Her voice was a mixture of alarm and disgust, concerning enough for Maul to turn to the large holoscreen she was pointing accusingly at in the corner of the bar. He had been prepared to wave off her question as unimportant until he got a full view of the figure occupying the screen.

Well, this was new.

Filling up the holoscreen with its bulky frame stood a large, black figure. It looked menacing and imposing, with a sharp, polished helmet that gleamed with malicious intent. Shrouded in a swath of black fabric, the man’s broad, wide shoulders conveyed a powerful demeanor. At his chest, a small panel with flashing lights twinkled and flared. The empty eyes of the mask somehow glared at the camera with fierce menace, hollow and unfeeling yet ultimately intimidating. 

Maul couldn’t prevent his stomach from twisting in involuntary dread.

“You’ll be disappointed to hear that I have no idea,” he eventually responded, turning back to her and fighting to keep his voice even. The last thing he wanted was Ahsoka to think that he was phased by this person, whoever it was.

“Really?” Ahsoka pressed incredulously. “You’ve never seen that guy before? What have you been doing here while I’ve been sleeping all day?”

He shrugged and took a sip of his drink. 

Ahsoka hummed in disproval at his lackluster response. “Honestly, as long as it’s not another Sith Lord… because in my opinion, that’s the _last_ thing we need to deal with right now.” As if suddenly realizing who she was talking to, she abruptly shifted gears to correct herself. “Not that there’s anything wrong with being a Sith Lord, of course.”

Maul rolled his eyes, choosing not to comment on her blatant lie and hasty correction. The irony of their situation was not lost on him.

After a moment, Ahsoka leaned forward. “Is it possible you could look him up?” she asked, pointing to Maul’s pocket, where his personal holo-device was stored.

He grunted in agreement, pulling the contraption from out of his robes. He turned it on, quickly perusing through the information to find what he was looking for. After a few short moments of searching, he found the answer to Ahsoka’s question.

“It says here his name is Lord Vader. It looks to me like he’s an authority figure in the New Galactic Empire, potentially even a figurehead that will be used to maintain order and obedience.” Maul huffed in distaste. “Looks like Sidious found himself a new _pet_.” Each word was ground out between gritted teeth, dripping with thinly veiled disgust.

As he reported his findings, Ahsoka leaned back in her seat in the booth, crossing her arms behind her head in what appeared to be an effort to appear relaxed and inconspicuous. In Maul’s opinion, it made her look even more suspect. He added ‘ability to go undercover’ to his mental list of skills the Jedi Order were seriously lacking in. He also added ‘staying alive’ as a snide afterthought.

“Maybe he’s just a powerless puppet?” Ahsoka suggested as she settled into her reclined position. “Designed to represent the Empire and intimidate without posing an actual threat?”

Maul shook his head, returning the device to the folds of his cloak. “I highly doubt that. Darth Sidious would never surround himself with anything less than the most powerful, capable tool he could lay his hands on. This ‘Lord Vader’ is most likely going to cause us a great deal of problems.”

Ahsoka made a dismissive gesture with one of her hands before returning it to rest behind her head. “Well, whoever he is, I’m sure we can handle him,” she said with a confident smirk.

Maul didn’t feel nearly as optimistic.

It certainly was refreshing though, to have his little Jedi sidekick back in high spirits. He hadn’t been kidding when he told her that her sulkiness had been depressing. He wasn’t completely sold on the fact that she was done grieving her lost friends, no doubt being temporarily distracted by the promise of action and drive to make a change. However, he was not willing to risk testing the limits of her newfound good attitude, lest she spiral into a pitiful funk again. That was the _last_ thing he wanted. Force, he could barely handle it the first time.

He was interrupted by a harsh beeping emanating from within his cloak. Ahsoka, who had been passively surveying the bar, snapped her gaze back to him, quizzically lifting an eyebrow. “What was that?” she asked.

Maul didn’t dignify her with an answer, instead just pulling back his sleeve to reveal a small communication device strapped to his wrist. He briefly checked the interface, unlocking it and pulling up a small projection the flashed blue in front of him.

Ahsoka was eyeing the device skeptically. “When did you get that?”

Maul continued to ignore her, skimming the encrypted transmission. His eyes widened in disbelief as he read, the content of the message prompting him to reread it several times.

 _Well, this is some good news,_ he thought to himself, giving the transcription one last glance before tucking the device back under his sleeve.

“Are you going to answer me?”

Maul finished off his drink with a final swig, turning the cup so that it sat upside down on the table. “We’re done here,” he said, standing up. “Let’s go.”

He turned to leave, not checking to see if Ahsoka was following. His thoughts were racing, deep in thought over the logistics, the _implications_ of the transmission he received. Although he had been terribly busy, the last few days had largely fruitless; he was relieved to finally know that his efforts had paid off.

“Maul!”

He barely acknowledged Ahsoka as she caught up to him outside of the bar, his head resting in his hand as he contemplated their next course of action.

“What’s going on?”

He looked up at her, finally registering her presence. He opened his mouth to answer, before snapping it back shut as he saw a squad of troopers round the corner behind her. 

“It’s not safe to discuss here in the open. We’ll talk about it once we’re out of the city.”

He watched Ahsoka huff in frustration behind him, displeasure evident on her face. However, she obliged, falling into step beside him in silence as they wove their way down the main street.

Maul largely ignored her as they pushed through the small crowd, lost in thought. The logistics of the journey they would need to embark upon were not ideal; if memory served him right, the place he had been instructed to meet his contact was on the complete opposite side of the galaxy. It would take a few days at a minimum to reach their destination, not to mention the sheer number of times they would have to stop and refuel….

He’d also have to respond to the transmission and verify its authenticity. It was highly unlikely that it was a fake, given the amount of clearance codes someone would need to send a message to his personal communication device, but there was still a chance this was a trap. A small chance, but not one he was willing to take.

And their disguises. He looked down at the fabric of his cloak, frowning slightly. No, this would never suffice. They would have to buy new clothes in order to better blend in with the culture of his associate’s society. However, that was something they would worry about when they got there. He highly doubted this city had clothes fine enough to meet the high standards of where his contact resided.

“Maul?” Ahsoka’s voice cut through his line of thought. He realized that they had finally left the city and were out on the open road that led towards their temporary residence. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

Maul hesitated. He was unsure of how much he wanted to reveal to Ahsoka. He’d have to tread carefully if he wanted to keep her blind towards his machinations.

“I have received a message from one of my… _contacts_ ,” he finally settled on saying, trying to remain as vague as possible.

Ahsoka didn’t miss a beat. “Contact?” she asked, voice clouded with suspicion.

“Yes. They informed me that they have sensitive intel on the Empire.”

“Oh!” Ahsoka exclaimed, her apprehension shifting to excitement. “What did they say?”

Maul shook his head, keeping his eyes glued to the path. “They won’t tell me over a transmission. We have to go to them.”

“Okay… and where would that be?

“Cantonica.”

“Cantonica? The only people on Cantonica are…”

Ahsoka paused, as if she were trying to recall something. She furrowed her brow, placing her hand on her chin as she walked.

“Wait a second, Maul. who did you say this person was again?

He didn’t answer.

“How did they know to contact you?”

“Let’s just say I’ve been very… _busy_ these past few days,” Maul retorted tersely, silently willing the conversation to end soon.

Realization dawned on Ahsoka’s face. “Maul, does this contact of yours happen to be the head of a crime syndicate?”

He schooled his features into a neutral expression. “Not exactly. Technically, while affiliated, he works directly for me.”

Ahsoka threw her hands in the air in exasperation. “Is that what you’ve been doing these past few days? Scheming with your crime organizations? I cannot _believe_ this!”

Maul resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose to stave off the headache he could feel forming at the base of his skull. He had _known_ she would react like this, and had hoped he could keep it a secret. While she had been grieving at night and sleeping during the day, he had spent his time in the city touching base with his crime syndicates, reestablishing his connections and his place as their leader. He hadn’t been able to do much other than inform those of importance of his survival and delegate tasks and positions of leadership to those he trusted. As much as he loathed to relinquish his power over the syndicates he controlled, he knew that for the time being, it would be very unwise to directly manage them. By appointing individuals he trusted to run them while he was away and having them report directly to him, he could regain some semblance of control over the extensive network. That had been his main purpose in acquiring the encrypted communication device strapped to his wrist; this way, those directly underneath him could have a way to personally contact him.

However, he had instructed his underlings to only message him in the most dire of circumstances, in either cases of extreme emergency or very important intel. The fact that one of Crimson Dawn’s most wealthy, affluential associates had sought to comm him directly was either going to be very rewarding or very disappointing.

 _It better be worth it_ , Maul thought darkly to himself, _he will sorely regret it if he makes me go all the way to Cantonica for useless rumors._

Memories of being told he could “find Jabba in Jabba’s Palace” leapt unbidden to the forefront of his mind, causing his temper to darken considerably. His associate would be as good as dead if this intel was as useless as that.

“Well?” Ahsoka followed up impatiently. “Have you or have you not been working with your crime syndicates?”

Maul found himself growing increasingly angered by her insolence. “What did you expect?” he snapped in frustration, not bothering to directly answer her question. “That I would just _abandon_ my position? You obviously don’t realize how valuable an asset like this is!”

“ _Valuable_ as in how many lives it has ruined? I want nothing to do with this!” Ahsoka shot back. They were both walking at a faster pace now to match the heated discussion.

“Valuable as in an incredibly important support system! Forget your petty Jedi morality for just one second and realize that these connections are what is going to let us take down Sidious! You and I both know we’re going to need all the help we can get.”

Ahsoka glared at him. “I think I’ll take my chances,” she snipped snidely. “I’d rather work alone than be reliant on these… these _criminals_!”

“Criminals like me?” When Ahsoka didn’t respond, he continued. “Listen, I frankly couldn’t care less about your feelings towards my underground operations. In fact, you should consider yourself highly fortunate that I am even engaging in this conversation in the first place. But, at the end of the day, information is information, regardless of who or where it comes from.”

Ahsoka huffed and crossed her arms indignantly. “I still don’t like it.”

Maul growled. “Like it or not, it’s the best we’ve got.”

The pair arrived at the small path offshooting from the main dirt road, winding narrowly up the hillside. Maul walked in front of Ashoka on the thin trail, feeling her frustration and skepticism projected through the Force. In all honesty, her attitude annoyed him immensely. Surely, she _had_ to have known that this would be part of the deal. How naïve could she be to not understand that utilizing the crime syndicates were their best shot at defeating Sidious? Their resources and connections were too good an opportunity to pass up. Hell, without the transmission from his contact, they’d still be stuck on this planet!

As they walked, his anger intensified, until he was practically fuming by the time they reached their shack of a house. Glowering, he stormed into the front room, slamming the door in Ahsoka’s face in sheer rage.

Even he could admit that was a little rude.

He didn’t regret it, though.

Instead of immediately following him into the house, he felt her choose to sit on the rickety, eroded porch, crossing her legs as she settled down to meditate.

That just infuriated him more.

While she sat calmly outside, Maul stalked throughout the house, pacing back and forth as he spiraled into the throes of the dark side. His fury rolled off of him in waves, drowning out any rational thought until he was completely consumed by his pure hatred. The longer he dwelled on it, the more his rage flared up, his swirling anger tearing a hole of howling anger in the fabric of the Force.

 _Who does she think she is,_ his inner turmoil snarled, _to think that she can control me. That she can tell me what to do._

Reaching out with the Force, he violently seized one of the chairs sitting by the table, lifting it up and hurling it across the room where it collided with the wall. Smashing against the hard surface with a satisfying crunch, it fragmented and fell to the floor, one of it’s legs hanging askew and the backing marred by a long crack. 

_I listen to no one! I follow no orders! Especially not from some plucky little outcast Jedi runt!_

An hour of ferocious brooding passed before Maul’s anger slowly started to abate, retreating to his core where it permanently resided, poised and ready at any moment to be summoned. His pacing, at this point, had slowed, and his vicious thoughts had gradually receded, their intensity decreasing, but still pulsing adamantly.

He almost didn’t notice Ahsoka enter the house, as she quietly opened the door and went to sit in the remaining, unbroken chair at the table by the front window. Her presence triggered another swell of anger, but it wasn’t as strong as it had been before. Maul chose to ignore her, continuing to pace the length of the entry room.

After a few minutes of silence, with only Maul’s footsteps punctuating the stretch of silence, Ahsoka was the first to speak.

“Listen, Maul, I’m sorry.”

Well, this was unexpected.

Bewilderment overtaking his frustration, Maul paused, turning to critically regard her from the opposite side of the room.

“For how I reacted about the crime syndicates. I’m still not totally on board, but you’re right. If we’re going to do this, if we’re going to confront Sidious, we’re going to need all the help we can get. And even though I don’t morally agree with these organizations…” she shrugged, “I suppose it’s better than nothing.”

Maul was surprised, to say the least. Ahsoka struck him as a very stubborn, self-righteous person. It did not seem habitual of her to apologize, _especially_ about something as polarizing as crime syndicates.

He was at a loss for how to respond. After her apology, his anger had virtually disappeared, locking itself away deep in his subconsciousness. “Do not worry about it,” he settled on saying, waving his hand dismissively. “I can understand your trepidations.”

His own forgiveness, while not unprecedented, was certainly uncharacteristic, making him feel uneasy. Why had his anger subsided so quickly? That was highly unusual… typically the tide of his frustration would be drawn out much longer, his hate and fury and the power of the dark side driving him to hold an insurmountable grudge. Grasping for that pit of anger that lay coiled deep in his aura, he pulled the receded darkness back out, relishing in it’s feel but not fully encasing himself in it’s embrace like he had mere moments before. Its touch was familiar and comforting, the black energy flowing through the fibers of his body like blood.

While he refocused himself and adjusted his core, centering himself on the alluring call of the dark, Ahsoka offered a small, hollow smile as she shed the outer layer of her cloak. “So…” she began, hanging the garment over the end of the chair at the small table. “when do we leave?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cuidado con sus emociones Maul jajaja
> 
> Thank you for waiting and reading, nos vemos! :)


	10. Casino Lights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imagine my shock when I went to go double check where Cantonica was on the map and saw that it was deadass on the complete opposite side of the galaxy in comparison to Bakura *facepalm*
> 
> Like I knew it was far, but not THAT far.
> 
> For your edification, I made a little map marking out the planets of importance they have visited are thus far. If you’re interested in visualizing their journey, here it is:
> 
> https://imgur.com/a/WgX1DTR 
> 
> I’ll be updating this map as we go along to save you all the trouble of locating the planets yourself haha
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

As it turned out, Maul wanted to leave immediately. 

It didn’t take long for them to pack their few belongings into the ship. Before Ahsoka could fully comprehend what was going on, they were leaving the atmosphere and preparing to make the jump into hyperspace.

“We have enough gas for a short first leg of the trip,” Maul explained when Ahsoka asked why they weren’t refueling before leaving the planet. “It’ll be cheaper to fill up our tank in the inner rim than it will be out here.”

Ahsoka found herself unable to argue with his logic.

Tired after staying awake, Ahsoka excused herself from the cockpit and retreated to the sleeping quarters, intent on getting some much-needed rest. Sitting on her bed nestled in the side of the wall, Ahsoka buried her face into her hands. _Force,_ she thought despondently, _I’m exhausted._ It had been a long night, followed by a long day in the city with Maul. Granted, she hadn’t been doing much these past few days on Bakura, but that didn’t prevent her from wanting to pass out where she sat.

Despite her tiredness, however, Ahsoka felt considerably better than she did twenty four hours ago. Maul’s act of unprecedented kindness in helping her construct a memorial pyre still left her feeling confused. It was a nice display of good faith, one that was helping his image grow increasingly favorable. Despite their differences and their constant bickering, she was finding herself somewhat enjoying his company. 

_Even if he can be a major asshole at times,_ she groused.

His angry outburst earlier had certainly been surprising, but it was a good reminder for her on the nature of the man she found herself precariously allied with. While he had the tendency to act civil, even amicable in his best moments, deep down, he was still a primal, raging Sith Lord. A dark monster bubbling beneath the surface of a man.

Ahsoka’s apology had been genuine, but it’s main driving factor had been to placate and calm him down. Luckily, it seemed to work, with his fury almost completely dissipating after she agreed to accompany him to Cantonica and further involve herself in his criminal endeavors.

_Let’s hope this is worth it. I was starting to like Bakura._

The planet wasn’t terrible; it was certainly nicer than Ambria, not that she would ever tell Maul that. Hopefully, if all went according to plan on Cantonica, they could return to the mild planet and continue to hide from the Empire there.

Ahsoka shed her cloak so that she was only clad in her tight shirt and leggings. Shifting her body so that she laid on her back on the small bed, she stared at the ceiling. Without looking over, she reached out her hand and turned off the lights in the room with the Force, plunging the cabin into darkness.

_I wonder what Cantonica is like._

She had never actually been to the planet, only hearing elaborate stories about it’s extravagance and rich culture. It was widely known throughout the galaxy for its high-profile residents and businesses, the wealth of the economy rivaling that of Coruscant. There was no need for her to travel there during the war, in fact, she struggled to think of any battles that had occurred there that would have given _any_ Jedi a reason to travel there.

Of course, along with the planet’s affluence, were the shady operations and alarming corruption. Despite being a part of the Republic, it was common knowledge that many of Cantonica’s businesses did not adhere to the Senate’s corporate guidelines and were… _unorthodox_ , to say the least. Therefore, it came as no surprise to her that Maul had an associate residing there.

Ahsoka closed her eyes, drowsiness muddling her train of thought. Whatever was in store for them at Cantonica, they would deal with it when they got there. The planet pushed out of her mind, Ashoka faded into a blissful sleep, her mind calmed by the gentle hum of the ship as it sped through space.

-

Ahsoka woke when she felt the transport jolt, the abrupt rumbling rudely rousing her from her nap. Slowly sitting up in her bed, she tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes, her grogginess making it hard to lift her heavy eyelids. She was in the middle of yawning when she saw Maul standing in the doorway of the room.

“I see you’re awake,” he said as he pulled his cloak to adjust it to his frame. Ahsoka merely waved halfheartedly in response, grogginess clouding her ability to think coherently enough to respond.

“I’m going to go refuel the ship. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

 _That won’t be a problem,_ Ahsoka thought as she laid back down on the bed, closing her eyes and trying to drift back to sleep. After a few minutes of lying in the dark room, she distantly felt the ship shudder, the fuel tanks sending low rumbles throughout the cabin as they began to gradually filled up.

Much to her reluctance, Ahsoka found herself somewhat grateful towards Maul. Fuel wasn’t cheap, so she was glad he was able to cover the cost of their travel expenses.

Running a hand down her face, she rolled over and tried to clear her mind of Maul's disturbance. As she rested, she vaguely heard him power up the ship through her disoriented, sleepy mind and felt the ship lift off of the planet's surface and shoot into hyperspace. 

Unable to fall back asleep and bored out of her mind, Ahsoka left the bed chamber and made her way to the front of the ship, steadying herself against the wall as she moved down the hallway. Wordlessly, she entered the cockpit and slipped into the co-pilot’s chair, receiving only a mute nod from Maul as acknowledgement.

They sat in a somewhat peaceful silence for a few minutes, before Ahsoka began to grow restless. She felt a question pressing on the tip of her tongue, the implications of their destination and the heated conversation they had on Bakura pushing to the forefront of her mind. Briefly debating whether it was worth pursuing, she ultimately decided it wouldn’t hurt to ask. After all, didn’t she deserve the right to know?

“So, if I may ask, what crime syndicates are you involved with, exactly?”

Maul gave her a cautious, guarded expression, as if he were unsure about her intentions with his response.

“Relax,” Ahsoka assured him. “I’m not prying to use it against you, I’m just curious.”

Studying her for a moment with an apprehensive eye, there was a stretch of silence before he responded. “Black Sun, Crimson Dawn, and the Pykes,” he slowly answered, the trepidation layered thick in his voice. 

At mention of the Pykes, Ahsoka couldn’t help but physically wince, a pained grimace contorting her features.

Unfortunately for her, the instinctual reaction didn’t go unnoticed by Maul. “Is there something wrong with the Pykes?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Ahsoka turned away from him, not wanting to meet his gaze. “Let’s just say I had a little… _run in_ with them right before coming to Mandalore.”

“Care to elaborate?” He fully turned to face her, suddenly invested in the conversation.

Ahsoka shook her head a little too vigorously, choosing not to reply.

Maul ignored her silent hint for him to drop the topic. “This wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with the thirty thousand credits of missing spice, would it?”

At this, Ahsoka blushed, the heat rushing to her face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Maul snorted. “Don’t bother lying to me, Lady Tano. I was already made well aware of the Republic involvement with the stolen delivery. Though, why they would choose to send you, with your unaffiliated status, is beyond me.”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t sent by the Republic. I just happened to get wrapped in the antics of some… _friends_ … I met during my exile.”

“Charming,” said Maul dryly. “You left the Jedi Order and found yourself in the company of common criminals and smugglers? Not very becoming of you, Lady Tano.”

Ahsoka silently glowered at him before turning pointedly away to look out the front window of the ship, refusing to entertain his attempts to rile her up.

Unfortunately for her, Maul was not done talking. “May I ask where the spice is, then?”

At this, Ahsoka hesitated. “You’d, uh, be pretty hard-pressed to retrieve it.” Maul’s inquisitive eye prompted her to continue. “It may or may not be scattered along the Kessel Run.”

She saw his eye twitch. “You _dumped the spice?!_ Why?”

“Hey, I’m not the one that dumped it!” Ahsoka protested. “It was my friend.”

“Well, then why did _your friend_ dump it?” Maul demanded, his voice dangerous and tight.

Ahsoka shrugged. “You’d have to ask her.”

She watched Maul clench his jaw forcefully, teeth gritted as he struggled to control his anger. Shrinking back into her seat, she shifted her body so that she was slightly angled away. The Force around him blackened and swirled viciously, his anger bubbling around him in strong waves.

“You’re lucky I promised not to kill you,” he said in a menacing growl. “Otherwise, I’d throttle you and dump your lifeless carcass into hyperspace, just like you _dumped my spice!”_

“Gee, thanks, you’re so considerate,” Ahsoka muttered in sarcastic response, though she was cautious not to say more in fear of provoking him further.

The cabin descended into a tense silence, and remained like that for the next few hours.

Ahsoka had zoned out into a wakeful, meditative state to pass the time, finding herself lost in the blue, hypnotic swirl of hyperspace, when a small movement in her peripheral vision pulled her back to the present. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Maul start to yawn, but then stifle the action, pressing the back of a hand to his mouth and working to keep his jaw shut.

“You’re tired,” Ahsoka noted, ignoring the pointed glare he fixed her at calling him out. “You should go get some rest.”

Much to her relief, he didn’t argue with her. “It’s a few more hours to the refueling station,” he grumbled, pushing himself out of the chair. “Wake me when we arrive. We’ll switch again after we depart.” With that, he left, leaving Ahsoka alone in the cabin.

The rest of the journey operated like this, passing by in a blur. Maul and Ahsoka would switch off piloting the ship, taking shifts as they jumped from planet to planet on their way across the galaxy to Cantonica. Every time they landed, Maul would disembark to refuel, and Ahsoka would take the time to check the readings and vitals of the craft to make sure that they were still fit to fly.

 _Maul hadn’t been kidding when he said Cantonica was on the literal opposite side of the galaxy_ , Ahsoka thought to herself as she piloted the ship away from their fifth fuel stop. _At this rate, it’ll take us more than a few standard rotations to get there_.

The road trip with her gruff, testy companion was considerably more bearable given the fact that they rarely interacted with each other, each choosing to retreat to the privacy of the back of the ship when they weren’t the one flying. Without his constant, foreboding presence to distract her, Ahsoka found herself able to lower her guard and zone out, mind wandering in his absence. It was boring, yes, but pleasantly uneventful.

Part of her was curious to know what he did while she piloted the ship. Obviously, he slept, much like she did, but at least for her, a good portion of her time was spent meditating. Maul, as far as she was concerned, didn’t meditate in the same way that she did. Overall, he struck her as a very restless, simmering person; she was puzzled how he was currently managing the mind-numbing confinements of the ship.

At the same time, however, she couldn’t bring herself to care.

After a few rotations of alternating travel, they made their last fuel stop on Ruuria, a major trading outpost and one of the last stops on the Hydian Hyperlane, the main route to take when traveling to the Corporate Sector. Ahsoka had just finished checking the pressure readings of the ship’s main engines when she heard Maul reenter the ship. Eyes flicking over to his form as he stood beside the chair she was sitting in, she offered him a curt nod in greeting.

“It should only be a half rotation until we arrive at Cantonica,” he said. “It’ll be nightfall when we land. I suggest you use this time to rest up, we will be very busy once we arrive.”

Ahsoka relinquished the pilot’s chair and made to leave the cabin. “What about you?” she asked, pausing by the entryway.

“I’ll be fine,” he said, waving her away. “Don’t worry about me.”

Not wanting to push the subject any further and risk irritating him, Ahsoka retreated to the sleeping quarters. They had been traveling for well over a full standard week now; she was relieved to hear that they were almost to their destination.

Glancing between her bed and the floor, Ahsoka decided to mediate for the last stretch of the journey. She wanted to be as centered and sharp as possible for whatever obstacles Cantonica would throw their way.

Hours later, she was awoken from her meditation when the ship aggressively lurched, signifying their exit from hyperspace. Standing up, she felt the ship maneuver down to the surface of Cantonica as she stretched out her tight, stiff muscles. She had just finished popping her shoulders and massaging out the crick she had developed in her neck when she felt the ship touch down, the hull shuddering and the whine of the engines slowing.

Ahsoka grabbed her cloak that rested on the bed, trying to quell the excitement that bubbled in her chest. Finally! She could get off this ship!

Opening the doors to the sleeping quarters, she was surprised to see Maul already standing in the hallway, waiting for her. Squaring her shoulders, she offered him a short nod in greeting, unfolding the cloak she held bundled in her hands in preparation to put it on. She made to step forward to join him in the hallway, however, much to her surprise, she was stopped by Maul reaching out a hand and placing it on her shoulder, holding her in place. She shot him a quizzical glance, confused as to why he was preventing her from exiting the room.

“I understand your enthusiasm to leave the ship, Lady Tano, but I’m going to need you to wait here just a little longer.”

“And why’s that?” Looking him up and down, Ahsoka noticed that he had donned his cloak and pulled his hood over his head. “Where are you going?”

“I must leave to secure suitable attire for us. This,” he said, picking disgustedly at the fabric of her shirt with the hand that still rested on her shoulder, “will be sorely out of place here.”

Ahsoka leaned away from his criticizing touch. “And what of it? Don’t we want to try to conceal our identities?” she asked, lifting up her own cloak she held in her hands.

“Our disguises, if you wish to call it that, will be most effective if we try to blend in with the people here. The patrons of this fine establishment will not be wearing these rags.”

“Hey,” Ahsoka protested. “You’re wearing the exact same thing as me!”

“And that is precisely why I will be getting _both_ of us a change of clothes.”

He reached out again to push her lightly back into the room she had been trying to exit, emphasizing his point. “Stay with the ship. I’ll return within the hour.”

Crossing her arms stubbornly, Ahsoka watched as he turned to leave, the grating sound of his metal feet fading as he exited down the loading ramp. Although she was frustrated and itching to get off the vessel, she knew he had a point. If Cantonica was truly as wealthy as the stories told, then they would both stick out wearing the plain clothes they currently had on. She begrudgingly realized that, as she had never been to this planet before, she would have to put her faith in Maul and his ability for them to meet his contact undetected. 

The idea dampened her mood.

Hoping to distract from her crankiness, Ahsoka went to inspect the engines of the ship. They hadn’t done a thorough maintenance check since around the halfway point of their journey, and she figured it wouldn’t hurt to do a short follow up while she waited for Maul to return from his errand. Retrieving a standardized toolkit and a pair of protective goggles from the walk-in closet in the hallway, Ahsoka used the screwdrivers to open the main panel that lead to the crawl space beneath the ship. Dropping down into the dark, warm area, she got to work.

True to his word, Maul returned an hour later, right as Ahsoka was finishing up adjusting and tinkering with the pressure valves of the main engine. It had held up surprisingly well considered the sheer distance they had just traveled, but she had figured that giving it a quick tune up would help its functionality. She and Maul were technically on the run, after all; the last thing they would want was for their ship to give out on them in a moment of need.

Hearing the hiss of the loading ramp lower and the telltale sign of heavy metal steps, Ahsoka packed up her toolkit and tossed it up out of the crawlspace. Grasping the lip of the ridge lining the manhole, Ahsoka hauled herself up and back onto the floor of the ship. Shifting the lenses of the goggles she wore so that they rested on her forehead, she turned to replace the panel in the floor leading to the engine embedded deep within the hull.

The sharp footsteps behind her ceased, and she felt Maul’s waves of disapproval radiating through the Force, though for what, she wasn’t quite certain.

“You’re filthy,” he said flatly, eyeing her with distaste.

Ahsoka looked at the engine grease covering her arms, thick black streaks tracing their way up to her elbow. Huh. Go figure.

“I’ll go wipe myself off,” she offered, fully removing her goggles

Maul turned to his holo-device, checking the time. “Make it quick. My associate is waiting for us.”

Grabbing the dirtied eyewear and tools, Ahsoka returned them to the closet in the hallway, being mindful not to smear the black stains painting her skin on the chrome walls of the ship. Retreating to the ‘fresher in the sleeping quarters, she pulled her sleeves back and used the sonic shower and a handful of dirty rags to fully clean herself of the cakey grime. After a few minutes of vigorous wiping and scrubbing, she finally removed all traces of her maintenance work on the engine. Her arms were chafed and slightly reddened, but she was overall satisfied with the results.

“So,” she said, returning to where Maul waited for her in the main cabin of the ship. “What did you get?”

He lifted up a bundle of fabric in one hand, the glossy material wrapped up in a tight ball he was able to encase with one fist. Tossing it across the room, the compressed fabric sailed through the air and right into Ahsoka's outstretched palm.

Ahsoka turned the silky fabric over in her hands, eyes widening as it slid through her fingers like water. She looked back at Maul in disbelief. “This is…. How expensive was this?”

“It doesn’t matter. I wasn’t paying attention.”

Ahsoka felt her mouth press into a thin, flat line. “You stole it.”

Maul waved her off dismissively. “Even if I did, it’s not like these people will suffer because of it.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Ahsoka muttered to herself, folding the dress over her forearm and returning to the ‘fresher to change out of her current attire. Waiting until she was out of sight from Maul, who thankfully remained in the main room, she locked the doors to the room behind her and unfurled the dress, the long black fabric cascading down in a black, shimmering waterfall.

 _Hm,_ Ahsoka thought to herself, holding the garment up and eyeing it somewhat critically. _I wonder how he knew what size I was?_

As it turns out, he didn’t.

The fact was painfully obvious to her when she stripped out of her clothes and slipped the dress on, practically drowning in the fabric that was clearly meant for someone slightly larger and taller. The chest area was a little too saggy, and the shoulders were a bit too wide. The sleeves were atrociously long, with her hands being swallowed by the long swath of fabric. As she turned to leave the ‘fresher, she almost tripped over the ends of the dress, the hem pooling out in an awkwardly long train behind her.

 _Well, he did try_ , Ahsoka reasoned as she grappled with the front of her dress, struggling to lift the skirt up as her hands were buried in the drooping sleeves.

Noticing her reflection in the shiny chrome wall of the bedroom, Ahsoka paused, adjusting the fabric now that she could vaguely see herself. The dress was very plain, composed of simple black fabric and embellished with accents of gold on the hem. It had an open back and was held up by a high, constrictive neckline. Although it probably wouldn’t ever be something she picked out for herself, she could appreciate the elegant flow of the black fabric and the long, pooling sleeves. She silently commended Maul for his surprisingly good taste.

Of course, he could have just stolen the first dress he had found. That was a very plausible possibility.

Ahsoka sighed. Normally, she’d be more upset about Maul’s thieving habits and would’ve ripped him a new one about his criminal actions, but she couldn’t find the energy to do so in this case. If what she had heard about Cantonica was true, she was sure that whoever Maul had stolen from wouldn’t be impacted too badly. Besides, she wasn’t exactly keen on wasting their money on a garment she would only be wearing for what would (hopefully) be one night.

Retrieving her discarded clothes and lightsabers, Ahsoka stuffed her old attire and her smaller shoto saber into the drawer under her bed. Awkwardly strapping the larger saber to the outside of her thigh, she adjusted the mass until it was completely concealed under the folds of the fabric. Satisfied, she left the sleeping quarters and closed the door behind her.

“Don’t laugh,” she grumbled as she trudged gracelessly out into the main cabin area. “I already know I look ridiculous.”

Maul stood in the center of the room, back to her. He turned around, in the middle of buttoning the cuffs of his sleeve. Ahsoka’s step faltered, though she couldn’t be sure if it was due to the irritating length of her dress or the sheer shock of seeing Maul, well, _dressed up_.

The sight was so unbelievably absurd that, for a second, she felt like she was trapped in some sort of sick, twisted nightmare.

The worst part about it, though, was that he didn’t look half bad.

Seemingly oblivious to Ahsoka’s blatant stare, Maul paused what he was doing, regarding the dress she was wearing with disdain. “It’s a little….” He trailed off, lips pulled in the beginnings of a grimace. “How do I say this politely.”

“Yeah, I _know_ it’s a little big,” Ahsoka groused, being snapped out of her stupor with his passive insult. She adjusted the skirt somewhat self-consciously. “No thanks to you.”

Maul returned his attention back to the cuff of his sleeve he was still fidgeting with. “It will have to suffice.”

Ahsoka hummed noncommittally, making her way across the room to stand by his side. “You know, I’m actually kind of surprised you’re bringing me to meet this friend of yours. I thought you would want me to stay away and out of your business,” she said, crossing her arms. 

Maul sighed. “Believe me, I really didn’t wish for you to accompany me. If it were my way, I’d leave you on the ship. However, oddly enough, my benefactor has insisted on your presence. He is very excited to meet you.”

“Why’s that?” Ahsoka asked skeptically.

“I haven’t the slightest idea. You can ask him once we get there.” Opening the outer coat of his suit, he showed Ahsoka where his saber handle was nestled in a pocket in the lining of the fabric. “Are you armed?”

Ahsoka nodded, patting her thigh where she had strapped her main hilt. Despite the dress’s numerous shortcomings, the loose fabric did an excellent job of concealing the shape of her saber pressed against her body.

“Very good. Now, let us not waste any more time.”

Ahsoka’s heart swelled with anticipation, electrified by the prospect of finally leaving the ship. Gathering her dress to prevent herself from stumbling, she followed Maul down the ramp and out into the inviting glow of Cantonica.

Outside, the sky was an inky black speckled with bright pinpricks of stars. Maul had parked them in a _very_ nice shipyard, the cobblestone paths weaving between the ships being lined with low, warm lights. There was no dirt, dust, or grime, just clean, well swept floors and crisp, cool air. The entirety of the bay was surrounded by natural stone walls, being rough and unrefined in shape, but not being too jagged to appear menacing. It was certainly one of the nicest docking bays Ahsoka had ever seen, and she had seen quite a few. Hell, even the other ships in the yard were some of the nicest luxury cruisers she had ever laid her eyes on, putting their own respectable ship to shame.

Walking alongside Maul, the pair made their way down the main cobblestone path that led to the edge of the shipyard, where the entrance to a gilded elevator lift was carved into the stone wall. Stepping into the spacious, ornate pod, they were shot up through the shaft cutting through the wall and to the surface. They exited the elevator and stepped out on to the surface, the sliding doors dropping them off right in front of a wide, orderly square.

Synchronizing their pace, the pair walked across the embellished plaza, the warm, inviting light from the street lights casting a cozy glow over the citizens milling about. Leading them over to a side street, Ahsoka shadowed Maul as they made their way between the towering buildings that lined the avenue. The city was populated, with many people strolling past them, but it was overall quaint and tidy.

“Of course it had to be black.”

In her admiration of the city, Ahsoka had realized that there had been a long period of silence between her and her companion. The question was a thinly-veiled attempt at dispelling the awkward tension, but luckily for her, Maul didn’t seem to discern this little fact.

“I don’t dictate the style and fashion trends on this planet, Lady Tano. If you would look around, I’m sure you would notice that black appears to be the color of this rotation.”

Ahsoka had noticed, but decided to keep that little tidbit to herself. It didn’t do much to sate her mild discomfort at being covered in the dark material, the ironic symbolism of the color not being lost on her. The next chance she got, she would try to change into a more neutral shade, like brown, gray, or even burgundy.

Her thoughts trailed off as they left the cover of the street and approached the bottom of a grand, adorned stairway, the bright lights and broad, sleek marble commanding her full attention.

“What is this place?” Ahsoka breathed, eyes widening as she drank in the beautiful, extravagant architecture. The staircase they stood before sloped up to the distant entrance of a tall, embellished structure, the wide pillars and flashing lights promising affluence and riches. Few places she had been to throughout her extensive travels through the galaxy compared to the marvel of the grandiose building they slowly climbed up to. Even the fanciest places on Coruscant struggled to compare; the fact that this was in the Outer Rim, of all places, made it even more stunning.

Maul did not appear to be nearly as impressed. “The Canto Casino,” he said, devoid of any emotion. “It is a popular spot for wealthy tourists and gamblers, but more importantly, high end business dealers.”

The two fell silent as they passed a rowdy, well dressed group talking on the steps. They didn’t give the pair a second glance, but even so, being out in the open without substantial cover made Ahsoka’s skin crawl. She leaned over so that she was slightly closer to Maul. “Do you think anyone will recognize us?” she whispered in an undertone. “This could be a trap.”

He stiffened minutely, eyes still trained forward. “I doubt it,” he responded, voice equally as low as hers. “We are pretty deep in the outer rim. And if there is any real trouble, we both have our lightsabers.”

“I still don’t like it,” Ahsoka said, her hands slightly squeezing Maul’s arm reflexively.

To her surprise, he agreed. “Neither do I, but we will not stay long.”

As they continued to make their way up the wide, grand staircase, Ahsoka took careful note of all the people they passed. No one seemed to give them much scrutiny, though there were a few apprehensive glances thrown Maul’s way. This, to Ahsoka, was understandable; he cut a rather fearsome, menacing figure with his sharp tattoos, piercing yellow eyes, and crown of horns. He looked like he was straight out of a nightmare rather than an affluent denizen of the city.

Maul, to his credit, paid the not-so-subtle attention no heed. _Either he’s used to it, or he genuinely doesn’t notice._

As they reached the top of the stairs, Ahsoka nearly gasped at the scene she saw inside the casino. It was a chaotic, lavish display, the sheer volume of people and noise being downright overwhelming. The commotion and activity almost rivaled the various nightclubs she had periodically visited on Coruscant, with the pulsing music and pressing flow of bodies being oddly reminiscent of the shady underground nightlife even though here, the atmosphere was considerably more uppity and luxurious. Overall, it was an assault on her senses, with only Maul grabbing her forearm pulling her out of her awe-induced stupor. Shooting him an alarmed look at the sudden, unwarranted contact, Ahsoka subconsciously flinched. 

He ignored her mildly offensive reaction. “This way,” he said, guiding her towards the back of the expansive room.

Ahsoka’s step faltered as she was practically dragged across the floor. “Do you know where you’re going?”

He shot her a look as if she had directly insulted him, deliberately not responding. Ahsoka rolled her eyes at his withering attitude, matching his step as they began to weave through the crowd. He always seemed to have an expression of quiet discontentment painted on his face, as if he were disgusted by everything around him. From Ahsoka’s perspective, he lived in a constant state of irritation.

As they continued to make their way through the maze of the casino, they passed by throngs of prosperous denizens, each person more opulent than the last. Ahsoka noticed a small group of women hanging on the arm of a finely-clothed man in particular, whispering in his ear as he threw the dice at a gambling table. Noting their expensive, outlandish dresses, Ahsoka felt almost underdressed in her simple, plain gown. Silently thanking Maul for having the foresight to dress them properly, she cringed to think at how she would’ve felt passing through the Canto Casino in her shabby (albeit comfortable) cloak.

Passing the large, expansive bar that covered almost the entire wall in the back of the room, Maul steered them to the left of the long granite counter. Off to the side, barely visible from the main room, was a small off-shooting corridor that lined the wall behind the central area. Upon entering the passageway and exiting the view of the majority of the casino, Maul dropped his arm and Ahsoka retracted her hold on him, pulling her body away. 

The sudden lack of contact was both a relief and a disappointment.

Ahsoka chose not to dwell on it too much.

She followed Maul until they stood in front of a sleek, red door. Without knocking, Maul entered, holding the door open so that Ahsoka could enter behind him. While the main room of the casino had been bright and boisterous, this smaller conference room was much more calm and snug. The walls were gold with rich, red accents and lined with elaborate sconces holding dim candles that cast soft shadows across the contents of the room. At the center stood a broad table, surrounded by cushioned chairs colored a deep shade of maroon. Sitting behind the table was a short, bald man with a long and curling mustache, his eyes twinkling in delight as Maul and Ahsoka entered.

“My Lord!” The portly human boomed, standing up to appropriately greet his guest. “It is such an honor to finally meet you in person!” Striding across the room in long, confident steps, he thrust a hand out eagerly at the Sith, who politely grasped and shook it in return.

“Drev Zerem,” Maul replied, simply stating the man’s name in way of greeting.

“I take it you had smooth travels? When you informed me that it would take you more than an entire standard week to arrive, I could hardly believe it! Why, you must have been traveling from the complete opposite side of the galaxy!”

“Hm yes, something like that,” Maul dryly agreed. Though it may have been a trick of the dim lighting of the conference room, Ahsoka could swear she saw heavy bags and lines under his eyes, his eyelids slightly hooded and his normally sharp gaze dulled with exhaustion.

Releasing his hold on Maul’s arm, the man turned to Ahsoka, an excited beam lighting up his face. “Ah, and where are my manners? It seems you’ve already met one of the many fine ladies that Canto Bight has to offer.”

The polite smile that Ahsoka had plastered on her face froze at Drev’s assumption. Realizing that Maul wasn’t moving to correct the man’s mistake, she sought to remedy the situation herself. “Oh, I’m not from Canto Bight,” she said with a forced laugh, trying her best to play the part of the pleasant, amicable guest despite her repulsion at the misunderstanding. Hopefully, this time around, her acting would turn out better than when she had pretended to be Anakin’s slave on Zyggeria and called him a ‘brigand’ in front of the queen. He had teased her about her mediocre line delivery for _months_ after that incident. “I’m his…. associate.”

The words felt foreign and strange on her tongue, Ahsoka internally wincing. _I hate to be considered Maul’s anything,_ she thought with disgust. _Yuck._

Thankfully, the wealthy businessman didn’t seem to notice Ahsoka’s distaste, both for being mistaken for one of the upscale escorts of the casino nor for describing herself as an acquaintance of Maul. “My most sincere apologies,” he said, reaching out to gently shake Ahsoka’s hand in greeting. “I wasn’t made aware that my Lord traveled with such exquisite, _beautiful_ companions.”

Ahsoka continued to smile graciously, feeling herself die a little on the inside. Hopefully, her expression didn’t appear as pained as she felt. Sneaking a glance over at the angsty Zabrak standing next to her, she worriedly noted his squared jaw and clenched fists. She prayed that he could control his notoriously short temper for the duration of the meeting.

“I am beyond grateful that you saw fit to bring your friend,” Drev continued, twirling his mustache as he withdrew his hand from Ahsoka he turned back to Maul. “I was not sure that you would respect my request.”

Maul smiled tightly, the expression looking odd on his ferociously painted face. “I wouldn’t want to deny you two the pleasure of meeting each other.” From such a dark, feral figure, he was a surprisingly smooth talker. Ahsoka figured she had already seen snippets of his polite mannerisms, but it was still a strange, jarring thing to witness.

“And a pleasure it indeed was! Now please, come sit! We have much to discuss.”

Gesturing to two of the chairs seated at the table, he returned to his spot behind the counter and sat back down

“Is this room…?” Maul waved his hand idly about as he settled into the chair, gesturing to the walls to complete his unspoken question.

Drev didn’t miss a beat. “It always is, my friend, it always is. I personally recommend finalizing our business deal elsewhere.”

In a moment of realization, Ahsoka realized that he hadn’t yet referred to Maul by name, nor asked for hers. _Distrust is everywhere_ , she reflected. _The galaxy is changing._

Silently commending the man for his foresight, as well as feeling incredibly lucky that she hadn’t accidentally said aloud any incriminating details about herself, she noticed Maul bristle minutely next to her. Although she could feel his frustration build through the Force, his exterior betrayed none of his mounting anger. Ahsoka understood his ire; there went their plan of simply getting the intel and leaving.

“And when,” Maul’s voice was dangerously on edge, laced with intense, deadly irritation as he gritted the words out. “might be a good time for us to reschedule?”

The man clasped his hands together, resting them on the smooth stone table. “It pains me to make you wait, my Lord, but I’m afraid I’m completely booked for the rest of the day tomorrow with a prior engagement.” He clucked his tongue in dismay. “Under normal circumstances, I would move this meeting in favor of your arrival and time. However, this client of mine is most demanding.”

“What _client,_ is more important than this.” Every word was said with icy deliberation, like it was its own separate, punctuated sentence.

Drev shook his head in regret. “My apologies, my friend, but this is not an appointment I can push back. In the… changing tides, if you will, of the galaxy, it would be fatally unwise for me to neglect it.”

 _So,_ Ahsoka thought to herself, pursing her lips in a thin line. _He must be dealing with the new Galactic Empire. Of course. Typical shady business you’ve wrapped us up in, Maul._

_Although… someone with direct dealings and connections to the Empire will likely prove to be very fruitful…_

As if suddenly noticing that his conversation with his boss had a witness, Drev abruptly turned to Ahsoka, lips spread in a charming smile.

“Have you ever been to the casino before, my dear?”

Ahsoka, taken aback by the question, shook her head.

“It truly is an amazing place. Perhaps you would enjoy exploring it, yes?”

Ahsoka looked to Maul, unsure of how to answer. However, he was not looking at her, instead making pointed eye contact with Drev, an unspoken agreement passing between the two of them. Subtly inclining his head, he agreed. “I see nothing wrong with that. Allow me to escort her out.”

Ahsoka’s mouth practically hung open as Maul stood up beside her, motioning for her to rise as well. Reluctantly, Ahsoka met his height, searching his face as she straightened out. His expression was guarded and passive, betraying nothing and providing no answers to any of her unspoken questions. Dipping his head slightly, he pressed a hand into her lower back and guided her away towards the entrance of the room. Her bare skin tingled at the spot where his gloved fingers lightly pressed, and she fought the itching urge to lurch away from his burning touch.

Leaning down so that he could privately speak with her, Maul spoke in an undertone as he led her out of the room. “It may prove beneficial for you to split up and do some investigating on the patrons of this casino. See if you can find any useful, incriminating information about this new empire. I’ll find you when I’m done.” he muttered in a low voice, his tone and proximity causing her to slightly shudder.

He opened the door and Ahsoka found herself practically shoved out of the room. Stumbling into the empty hall, she rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to force herself back in and insist that she be present for the remainder of the meeting.

 _Stupid secretive criminals_ , she grumbled to herself. _Why even bother bringing me along?_

Another thought occurred to her, making her bristle with frustration.

“How do you expect me to enjoy the casino? I don’t even have any money!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we're into the Cantonica arc!!! Good Lord this was so indulgent LMAO
> 
> Hopefully that was worth the wait! I had this chapter ready for a while, but it didn't feel quite right so I took a lot of time tweaking it so that it would flow better.
> 
> Next chapter should not take nearly as long, so you won't have to wait a month for the next update!
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading! Until next time!


	11. A Private Business Affair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHADDUP it's me again, here with a fresh chapter! I wrote a big chunk of this after driving 8 hours from Omaha to Denver for Thanksgiving, so hopefully I cleaned up all the dumb mistakes I made since then? Guess you'll have to read and find out haha
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Maul pushed Ahsoka out into the hall, closing the door behind her before she had the chance to make a scene and embarrass him. Luckily, she hadn’t resisted, but he knew with near certainty that if he had waited too long to escort her out of the room, she would have fought with tooth and nail to stay. Some part of him admired her fire and fierce tenacity. However, in the present moment, he was much too tired to consider it much more than a minor nuisance.

Returning to his seat at the small conference table, he met Drev’s smile with a short inclination of his head.

“My sincerest apologies, my Lord,” Drev said, splaying his arms out across the table in a gesture of faux regret. “There were just some more… _delicate_ matters I wanted to discuss in private. I wasn’t entirely sure if you wanted your friend to be present for these negotiations.”

Maul accepted the apology with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I understand, and I fully agree. She does not need to be privy to our operations.”

Drev nodded, bending over in his seat to reach under the table. He pulled out a glass of expensive-looking liquid and two long, elegant flutes, subtly adjusting the vase so that Maul could fully read the engraving on the front displaying the brand and year of the alcohol. “Please, I insist that you partake. It is the finest drink Canto Bight has to offer.” 

Maul watched with apprehension as his associate poured out two glasses of the drink, the liquid catching the light as it flowed enticingly into the cups. The thin amber waterfall called attention to the dryness of the back of his throat, a parched feeling he hadn’t realized he had been harboring until he was faced with an opportunity to relieve it. His tongue flicked across his chapped lips in anticipation as he accepted the beverage from across the table.

“I must say,” Drev mused, swirling the liquid around in his cup as Maul took a long draught from his own. “It is highly unusual for you to travel with a companion, is it not? How did you find yourself in such fine company?”

Maul didn’t bother concealing the deep scowl that darkened his features. Placing his flute down a little harder than necessary, he shot his associate a dark glare across the table. The brash bluntness of his question, the _audacity_ to pry into his private affairs and his precious connection with the exiled Jedi he found himself working with was baffling, not to mention infuriating.

After all, how could he explain to this clueless, bumbling fool about the intricacies of the Force? That it was fate that bound him and Ahsoka Tano together, that there was a reason she had been sent to Mandalore to confront him instead of Skywalker or Kenobi like he had originally wanted?

No, Drev wouldn’t understand, and he _certainly_ wasn’t entitled to an explanation.

Maul decided to keep his response simple and vague; a detour from the answer his underling was expecting. “She serves her purpose.”

Drev shot him a sly, knowing grin. “And that purpose would be…?”

Maul silently cursed his sloppy choice of words and the enraging attitude of his associate.

_The minute he gives us the intel we have come for, I’m going to slaughter him_ , he thought darkly to himself, the images of slowly choking the man until his face deepened into a lovely shade of purple and his eyes bulged out of their sockets while he grasped and pried at his constricted throat giving Maul an immense feeling of satisfaction. He pictured clenching his fist and squeezing through the Force until the life was gone and his eyes were left empty and soulless, all before finally letting his limp body fall to the floor in a graceless, dead heap.

Torn away from his sadistic imagination by an expectant look from the very person he was fantasizing about murdering, Maul quickly scrounged up an answer to his probing question. “Her purpose is directly related to the intel you said you have for us.”

A mild look of disappointment graced Drev’s features. “Ah yes, I suppose we still must reschedule that meeting, must we not?” He leaned back, stroking his mustache as he thought for a moment. “How about tomorrow night, after I am finished with my other engagements? I have a very secure, private conference chamber at my place of residence. Of course, for my blatant rudeness of delaying our meeting, I insist upon housing you two tonight in my private estate. You are my guests, after all! I would hate to make you stay on whatever ship you came in on, and I wish to properly welcome you to our lovely capital city.”

Maul nursed his drink in contemplation, holding the cup close to his body as he considered Drev’s offer. On one hand, he was reluctant to stay on the planet any longer than they had to, but then again, what choice did they have? His associate had already made it abundantly clear that the soonest they could privately meet was in a day’s time, and to be quite honest, he was unbelievably exhausted. A good night’s rest away from that blasted ship sounded awfully tempting. The mere _thought_ of returning to their vessel for the night gave him a visceral, nauseous reaction.

So, he accepted. “Very well, but we will stay one night, and one night _only_ ,” Maul said, placing extra emphasis on the proposed duration of their stay.

Drev smiled broadly. “Excellent, that is most delightful to hear! This is an incredible honor, my Lord.”

Maul nodded silently, lifting his cup to take another sip of the drink. The dim lights of the room and the warm, cloying drink made it hard for him to focus; it took all of his willpower to prevent his heavy eyelids from closing shut. _Force,_ he was more exhausted than he had previously thought. Though he was still sour about the delay, it was probably for the best that they were unable to have their information debriefing tonight. He struggled to fully meet Drev’s gaze, much less comprehend what the insufferable man in front him was saying. In a tired haze, he set his drink down and interlaced his fingers together atop the table, reluctantly admitting to himself that he was looking forward to the luxury of staying at Drev’s private estate and what would hopefully be a warm, comfortable bed.

Drev lightly drummed his fingers against the table, the rings fitted around his thick fingers flashing distractingly. “Now, what I originally wanted to discuss with you…” he trailed off, his eyes flickering to the side of the room. Maul immediately understood; in the chance that the room was bugged, they would have to choose their words carefully.

Maul picked up Drev’s train of thought. “Yes… and that begs the question, what is the status of your personal business ventures?” By this, he was referring to his operations with Crimson Dawn. As a front, he understood that Drev was an arms dealer for the Galactic Republic (though now he could only assume his new client on that front was his former master’s new Empire), and that as a side hustle, he supervised one of the largest spice operations in this corner of the galaxy.

His impressive endeavors remained one of his only redeeming qualities, Maul decided.

Drev lifted his shoulders as he lightly shrugged. “They have continued to function well enough,” he said chuckling softly to himself. “Though to say they haven’t been impacted by the new shift in power would be a blatant lie. We have had to be a little bit more cautious with our operations, but it is nothing to be alarmed about. I’m sure business will pick back up once everything settles down.”

Maul steepled his fingers, knitting his brow in thought. “Have you had any direct encounters with the new Empire?”

“No, as I’m sure they have their hands full enough as it is. They haven’t paid us much heed, though it never hurts to be careful.”

Maul nodded in agreement. He doubted his former master’s new regime would care very much about abolishing drug rings and other criminal dealings. After all, why would he waste his time with righteous trivialities when he had all the power in the galaxy? That had been his main goal from the start; outer rim politics likely came as little bother to him. “Very well,” Maul said, leaning back in his chair, “continue your operations as normal. Be wary, but not so much so that business is negatively impacted.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

There was a lull in the conversation, one where neither said anything for a comfortable moment. Maul felt his attention slipping, each sip of his drink bringing him farther and farther away from the room. To prevent himself from dozing off, he shifted his focus to the numerous gaudy rings adorning Drev’s fingers, his eyes following them as their oversized jewels glinted and glimmered in the light.

“You look tired. Perhaps we should call it a night?”

Maul nodded blearily, not finding it within himself to argue. A small blossom of frustration and self-hatred unfurled in his stomach, the idea of this abhorrent man being able to read him so easily being downright humiliating. However, even he had a hard time seizing and cultivating the darkness inside, letting it wither and die as he stifled a yawn. The cozy glow of the room, the warmth of his drink… it was proving to be very difficult to stay attentive.

Drev continued talking. “I shall summon a transport at once, my Lord.” He set his drink aside and stood up, Maul following the motion robotically. “Normally, I would indulge in taking us on a tour for the city, but I believe it to be in our best interest to head straight for my private estate.”

He walked to the entrance of the room, opening the door and holding it for Maul to exit first. Trying to clear his swimming head, Maul went out into the hallway, blinking his eyes so that they could adjust to the harsh change in light.

“Would you like to go fetch your friend? I’ll be waiting with a private shuttle at the bottom of the stairs out front.”

Ah, yes. That’s right, he had almost completely forgotten about Ahsoka. A pity too, he had just begun to get used to the absence of her insulting, virtuous squabble.

_Although,_ he thought to himself, eyeing the sleazy, stumpy man who walked beside him down the hall and out into the main room of the casino. _I must admit, I much prefer her company over his._

Exiting the corridor, Maul paused as Drev’s voice cut his stride short.

“I’ll go down and greet the transport shuttle. Will you be able to find her? It has gotten rather busy since your arrival.”

Maul looked over the thick throng of people, the boisterous crowd an assault on his fatigued senses. The combination of noise, lights, and sheer density of bodies proved to be an overwhelming combination; if he had been looking for Ahsoka without the aid of the Force, it would be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, despite her unique features.

Luckily for him, however, he would not be reliant only on his sight. “It is of no concern to me. You will not be kept waiting long.”

His associate slightly bowed, then turned to depart from the room. Maul watched him disappear into the crowd before letting his rigid, upright posture relax slightly. He would need to sit down if he was going to do this properly. The casino was much too vibrant for him to concentrate without devoting his entire attention to it… he would need to put a little more effort into locating Ahsoka than was normally required.

Making his way to the long bar that lined the back of the expansive room, Maul sat down at a fancy cushioned stool at the very edge, far away from the conglomeration of people occupying the center. He noticed a tall, elegant bartender walk towards him, her sleek, black braid interwoven with a dazzling silver ribbon swaying hypnotically as she made her way to his isolated corner. Dismissing her with a wave of his hand before she had the chance to speak, Maul couldn’t help but let out a tired sigh. Pinching the bridge of his long nose between his fingers, he closed his eyes, trying to block out the buzzing noise of the room that impeded his concentration.

Slowly, he felt himself slip into the throes of the Force, feeling the life fibers of those around him pulse and flow. Reaching out with his consciousness, he searched for Ahsoka’s Force signature, expanding his probing tendrils throughout the large room. It was a daunting feat, the room being just as alive in the plane of the Force as it was in the physical, tangible realm. Perusing through the dull auras of the casino’s patrons, he found himself grow increasingly worried as the minutes passed and he had yet to locate Ahsoka.

The longer he searched, the more he feared the worst. Had she run away? Had she simply cut her losses after no-doubtedly being insulted by his exclusion of her from his meeting with Drev? Curses, it had been a terrible idea to let her out of his sight! Of _course_ she would run away, probably to go steal the ship and leave him stranded here.

His mood darkened, his probing conscious intensifying to match his angered emotions. He had stuck his neck out on the line, sacrificing his own pride in asking her to join him. And this is how he was repaid? Betrayed, cast aside, just like his master had done to him?

He felt his muscles twitch and his fists clench sharply in sheer anger, digging his nails so harshly into his palms that he could feel a dull pain start to throb even through the protection of his gloves. A vivid image of finding her huddled in some far corner of the galaxy on his ship ignited a spark of rage in him, finding himself so disgusted by her theorized cowardice that he took a colossal, sick delight from imagining running his crimson saber blade through her chest.

_Just wait until I find her. She will regret ever choosing to betray me…_

And just like that, he felt her, her presence glowing like a shining star in the night sky. It was almost blinding to look at, her signature blazing and hot to the touch. His dark tendrils brushed up lightly against her, being cautious not to get to close and risk getting seared by its burning glare.

It was unbelievably pure, shining like a brilliant, white light. It confused him. In all of his experience fighting Jedi, he had never come across a signature quite like hers. It was… odd. Especially since, when he stopped to consider it, she was far from the most powerful Jedi he had ever encountered. In comparison to someone like Obi-Wan, or even Adi Gallia (right before she had been impaled by his brother, that is), Ahsoka’s strength was mediocre at best. However, even though the Jedi masters he had encountered were stronger, their cores were not nearly as vibrant, shining a little less intensely than hers.

It puzzled him. Why was she so _bright_ , so _dazzling_ when those undeniably stronger than her didn’t possess the same pureness of light that she did?

It hadn’t gone unnoticed by him when they had first met either, deep in the sewers of Mandalore. In his initial disappointment that she had been the fish to bite his bait, rather than Kenobi or Skywalker, he had almost missed it entirely. But it was impossible to ignore. The striking white aura that surrounded her, scalding to the touch and taunting in its power, had intrigued him immensely. In fact, it had intrigued him so much that he had captured a clone and looked into his mind to discover all he could about her. Why was she like this? What made her so special?

The clone’s memories had turned out to be practically useless, simply giving him a passing glimpse into the fire and unbreaking spirit that was Ahsoka Tano. It was disappointing that the clone couldn’t provide him the answers he sought; however, the snippets of his memories had told him more than enough about who she was. Mainly, that she was not the typical emotionless, stuffy Jedi he had come to despise and loathe.

And that, he had ultimately decided, was something he could work with.

Locking onto her Force signature amongst her surroundings, Maul slowly withdrew his prying touch, opening his eyes as he fully returned to his physical body. Now that he had been spending more time with her, he had become more familiar with the presence, overall less shocked by its piercing nature. However, he still found himself confused. There had been no explanation for why her signature was so disgustingly _pure_ , so filled with light when she evidently exhibited emotions and tendencies that weren’t very typical of a Jedi.

But, he supposed, seeking these answers could wait for another time. For now, he would go retrieve her so that they could go get some much-needed rest. 

He stood up, awkwardly tugging at the collar of his suit. It was tight and constrictive, the rigid seams limiting his range of movement. Even though he knew it to be a formal necessity, he still felt uptight and sorely missed the loose, breathable fabric he had been previously wearing.

He could not _wait_ to get out of it.

Still feeling the ghost of Ahsoka’s presence, Maul began to weave his way through the crowd, following the source like a moth drawn to a flame. And indeed, that’s how he felt; the allure of her essence was impossible for him to ignore. He was drawn to it’s power, a greedy part of him wanting to corrupt it and take it all for himself.

It had been one of the main reasons he had offered her to join him in the first place. Although she was of the light, her raw power was undeniable. He had seen her potential and had realized that despite being on opposite sides, she would be his best bet in defeating his former master. The Force had delivered her to him for a _reason,_ and who was he to doubt the mysterious ways of the Force?

He paused as he felt her aura flicker, dimming ever so slightly before returning to it’s normal luster. Alarm passing through him, he briefly wondered if she had encountered any danger, if their undercover position had been compromised. Quickening his pace, he squeezed through the crowd as regally as he could, resisting the urge to part the blathering fools who blocked his path with a hefty, stress-releasing Force shove.

And then he finally saw her. Rich orange skin clad in black, blue and white montrals peeking slightly above the rest of the crowd like the ears of a lothcat. As she came into view, he tried to quell his undesirable relief at seeing her form, her long black dress pooling awkwardly at her feet.

She hadn’t been kidding when she said that the gown was too big for her. He had done his best, and in his humble, personal opinion, the fact that she was able to put it on in the first place was enough for him, fit be damned. He wanted them to blend in, and when he stole the dress, he hadn’t taken much time or effort to scrutinize it in its entirety. After all, beggars can’t be choosers, and he didn’t know a single thing about Canto Bight fashion.

When she had first emerged from changing into the dress, he had initially been somewhat shocked. After seeing her in various states of casual and combative wear, seeing her dressed up was strange, to say the absolute least. But, he had forced himself to swallow his reaction, to lock it away in some forbidden corner of his mind in a woeful attempt to ignore the fact that she didn’t look all that bad.

Luckily, watching her trip and stumble all over the place served as a pretty powerful antidote for his unfortunate and puzzling affliction.

As he got closer to where she stood, he took note of her defensive body posture and the way she seemed to be leaning away from the person she was talking to. A Sith he may be, but socially inept he was not. Even from the back, she appeared to be _incredibly_ uncomfortable.

Why didn’t she leave? She didn’t appear to be trapped physically… what was preventing her from simply walking away? Or even using the Force or her saber to defend herself? Maul felt confused. Perhaps he misinterpreted the previous waver of her signature? He was beginning to fill up with doubt when he felt it again, a soft, muffled pulse of panic that lashed out through the Force before it was reined in and stifled under a cool, calm exterior.

Walking up with renewed, angered vigor, he approached her from behind, putting a hand on her shoulder and turning to glare at the man she was talking to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made some super quick reference sketches of Maul and Ahsoka's Canto Bight outfits! They're pretty rough; I'm an animator rather than an illustrator (there's a small difference lmao) so please excuse the style/sloppiness!
> 
> [ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/191308015@N08/50664315782/in/dateposted-public/)
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/191308015@N08/50664540676/in/dateposted-public/)
> 
> Thanks for reading, see you all soon! ;)


	12. Roll of the Dice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what some may call a long chapter
> 
> Yuhhhhhh get into ittttttttt

After being shoved out into the hall, Ahsoka had only needed a few moments to collect herself before making her way out into the main floor of the casino, annoying lack of money be damned. Not that it had mattered much, she wasn’t interested in playing of any the casino games anyways… she hadn’t the slightest clue what any of the rules were, and even if she _had_ known how to play, she wouldn’t be caught wasting precious credits on meaningless frivolities. 

Shouldering her way past two separate groups that were occupying the entrance connecting small hallway and the central room, Ahsoka struggled to swallow her growing irritation. Maul had dragged her to the opposite side of the galaxy, just to dress her up in an oversized, stolen gown, and then ditch her at the soonest possible moment. He wanted her out? Fine. Whatever. She’d leave, she didn’t even care about their stupid crime organizations anyways.

Ahsoka felt like an accessory. A pawn. The very thing she _swore_ she wouldn’t become, a person who existed solely for his benefit.

She hated it.

He had told her that it was dangerous to look for other Jedi, that if they were to group up, Darth Sidious would target them and strike them down before they even had the chance to draw their lightsabers. Ahsoka snorted to herself. At this rate, she’d almost rather strike out on her own and go find other Jedi, even if it meant running the risk of being systematically slaughtered. At least she would feel even _somewhat_ useful and regain some autonomy over her current life trajectory. Anything would beat this stupid predicament she found herself in; she’d take her chances with Sidious.

It was getting uncomfortably warm in the casino. Bodies pressed against her from every direction, the encroaching crowd making it somewhat difficult to breath. Skin heating up, her eyes landed on the open front doors of the casino, the inky night sky outside offering the chilly respite she desired.

She was just about to head for the exit when a large man stepped in front of, causing her to collide with his massive frame. Wildly backpedaling, she was about to apologize and walk around when she found herself staring straight at a metal brooch pinned to the lapel of his suit.

That insignia… she recognized it from somewhere.

“Oh, pardon me, my dear,” his rich baritone voice rumbled from above, cutting through her pensive silence as she tried to recall the meaning of his worn emblem. “I really should be more careful of where I am going.”

Tearing her eyes away from the symbol on his chest, she looked up to meet his gaze. He was a rather wide fellow, appearing to be nearly bursting from the seams of his finely tailored fit. His shiny black hair, lined with streaks of silvery white, was pulled back into a neat bun at the nape of his neck. On his arm hung an elegant Twi’lek, her light pink skin accented with a swirling black and white patterned dress. She regarded Ahsoka with a slight sneer, her eyes lingering on the bagginess of the fabric that hung loosely on Ahsoka’s frame.

“You look lost, my dear. Perhaps you would like to join us? We were just about to head to the Darma table.” The rolls of flesh beneath his chin wobbled as he spoke, the folds deepening as he moved his mouth.

Ahsoka was on the verge of politely telling him she wasn’t interested and that she was sorry for running into him, but then, in a moment of clarity, the meaning of the brooch connected in her mind.

 _His insignia_ , she realized, _It’s of Sidious’ new Empire!_

She remembered what Maul had told her, to make herself useful and try to glean some information from the affluent patrons of the casino. He probably didn’t expect her to succeed. Ahsoka inwardly smirked to herself, thinking about how shocked his expression would be when she revealed that she had actually been able to find her _own_ intel on the Empire, outside of his silly crime rings. Ha! That would show him, maybe next time he’d think twice before kicking her out of a secret meeting.

She offered as pleasant a smile that she could muster, eyes twinkling at the man. “You know what? I would be _delighted_ to accompany you.”

The man brightened at her response, the Twi’lek beside him lifting a slight brow with an apprehensive look. He extended his free arm toward Ahsoka, who, after a moment that lasted a smidgen too long, realized it was an offer for her to take it. Supplying a somewhat apologetic smile to excuse her brief hesitation, she gingerly reached out to take it, delicately weaving an arm around his and situating herself so that she limited their direct contact and wasn’t _too_ close the man. After she settled into what she hoped was the proper position, the trio took off, making their way through the crowd toward the game tables.

Darma, as it turned out, was a nonsensical game where the player threw a pair of dice and received or lost chips depending on the color, number, and suit of that turn. At least those, as far as Ahsoka was concerned, were the rules; she found herself completely lost in the subtle nuances of the game and couldn’t quite muster up the energy or care to ask.

Ahsoka propped her arms up on the ledge of the playing board, bracing her weight against the polished, gleaming wood as she watched her new companion play. After a few turns, she decided that it was time to work a little magic, if that’s what she could call her deplorable excuse for charm and charisma. “So… what is it you do?” she asked as casually as possible. 

The man jostled the dice around in his hand before letting the pair fly with a gallant throw. They went cascading down the table, tumbling over each other before rolling to a stop. The small crowd clustered around the board let out a wild cheer, the sound of clinking glassware mingling with congratulatory applause. Ahsoka smiled with forced enthusiasm. She had no idea what the numbers meant.

“What was that, my dear?” he said, turning toward her as the celebration settled down. At the other end of the table, the dealer of the game began counting out and sorting a stack of chips into a pile.

“Your occupation… what is your job?” Her question sounded considerably less inconspicuous the second time around. She could only pray that he had consumed enough drinks to not realize how intrusive she was being.

From the opposite end of the table, the dealer pulled out a long pole tipped with a broad, flat surface. He pushed the dice back to where the Ahsoka and her acquaintances (if she could even call them that) sat at the head of the board.

The man beside her scooped up the dice with excitement, the small cubes disappearing into his meaty hands. “Why, I work in the ship industry, of course! The finest place to be, if I do say so myself.” He clenched his fingers around the dice, giving them a hearty, vigorous shake. Lifting up a closed fist to the Twi’lek on the other side of him, he offered his hand to her. Making sultry eye contact with him, she gingerly lowered her lips and pressed them into his knuckles, bestowing a kiss for good luck. Ahsoka fought the rising urge to vomit.

But anyways. Ships. That was _kind of_ useful, but what was she going to do with that? Ask him for the blueprints of the newest class of transport shuttles on the market? Yeah, as if _that_ was going to work.

She would have to try a different approach.

Beside her, the man tossed the dice down the table once again, this time the crowd letting out a small groan. The dealer began rearranging the stack of chips, many of the onlookers shaking their head in mock pity.

Ahsoka waited for the crowd to die down before she asked her next question. “Ships, you say? You must be quite talented to survive in such a _competitive_ industry.”

He looked away from the table to give her a sideways glance, nodding enthusiastically in agreement. “Ah yes, a demanding line of work it may be, but it is incredibly rewarding.” From his other side, Ahsoka caught a brief glimpse of the Twi’lek woman reaching up to whisper in his ear, giggling lightly as her bejeweled, extravagant headdress dipped and glistened in the light. Ahsoka suppressed a sigh clawing at the back of her throat. This was _pointless_. She wasn’t getting anywhere, and she certainly didn’t have the social grace or allure to extract anything of importance.

She was preparing herself to leave, to go step outside and clear her head like she had originally intended to, but was surprised to see the man turn back to her.

He leaned down so that he was a little closer to her, Ahsoka’s skin prickling as he uncomfortably brushed up against her. “Did you know?” he asked, his voice a low whisper. “One of my main clients is the new Empire.”

 _There it is._ “The new Empire? You don’t say.” 

“Oh, but it is true!” he exclaimed in a slightly louder voice, straightening up and blissfully restoring the distance between them. “Business has been very profitable recently. They have ordered many new classes and designs of ships, ranging from small to absolutely _massive_. You would not believe the size of these new vessels they have commissioned, why, I’d even go so far to say that they dwarf even the largest the Galactic Republic had to offer!”

Her interest was fully piqued. _Jackpot._ Ahsoka opened her mouth to ask another question, but before she could speak, the man reached out and pressed a finger intrusively to her lips. “Hush hush,” he said, withdrawing his hand after an uncomfortably prolonged moment. “Let us not bore ourselves with talk of business, shall we? We are here to have fun, to relax! Not to grovel over my mundane work life.”

Ahsoka recoiled slightly at the unwanted contact, muscles freezing as she suppressed the instinct to physically retaliate.

Luckily for her, the man’s attention on her did not linger long, as he turned back to the game table to prepare for yet another throw of the dice. Ahsoka, discretely wiped at her lips with the back of the sleeve of her dress, grimacing as she did so. That was unpleasant, to say the least.

But it would take more than that to deter her, now that she was on the right track toward getting what she wanted.

“Yes, my apologies,” she laughed lightly, smoothing the hem of her dress with her hands. “Though, if I may be so bold as to ask, where does your business take you? With a business as successful and profitable as yours, I’m sure you must be all over the galaxy. Pardon my bluntness, but you seem so… _well-traveled_.” Her words were stilted and forced, but it would have to do. Ahsoka figured if she couldn’t probe more about the ships and the nature of his business directly, finding out a location of interest may be a fair second option.

“How perceptive of you!” he responded as the dealer began to rearrange the chips after his throw of the dice. “Yes, I do travel quite a lot, but Coruscant is where I conduct most of my business. It is quite the vibrant place… I like to come to Cantonica on holiday to relax and take a break from the demands of my work life. You know, have a little fun.”

Ahsoka bristled as he spoke. _Coruscant._ That meant that he must have been very familiar with the Jedi, suddenly putting Ahsoka at risk for potentially being identified as a former member of the Order. 

_But that was years ago, right?_ she reasoned with herself in a flimsy attempt to maintain her calm. _I was on my own for quite a while. There’s no way he would remember me, and that’s even assuming he had ever seen me around in the first place._

Beside her, completely oblivious to her internal turmoil, the man collected his won credits and turned away from the game, almost immediately summoning a harried (yet still somehow elegant) server over. She balanced a broad platter with drinks on her shoulder, the liquid in the elegant cups being dangerously close to spilling over the rim of the cup, though ultimately, not a single drop fell. She lowered the platter smoothly down to her waist, daintily grabbing and placing a long cup in each of their hands.

Ahsoka cradled the drink in her hand, her attention turning back to the man as she swirled the unknown liquid around in the cup. She was thirsty, but didn’t want to risk drinking the beverage lest it dull and impair her senses. She had heard horror stories from Anakin and Obi-Wan from accepting and consuming strange drinks; it was best to play it safe.

“Coruscant?” she echoed, “Wow, I’ve never been there before, but I’ve heard that it is quite the spectacular place.” She tried to infuse as much admiration and wonder into her voice, playing the part of the dazzled escort that had, most importantly, _never before visited._

“You haven’t been? Why, I can’t recommend it enough, it is quite remarkable,” he said, taking a hearty swig of his delicate drink. “Although….” He trailed off, looking at Ahsoka with a newfound interest, a newfound _scrutiny_ as he studied her features in the casino lights. “I must say. You look awfully familiar. Perhaps we have met before?”

Ahsoka froze, eyes widening at his question. _Curses!_ she mentally exclaimed in a swell of panic. _This is not ideal._

She blinked and tried to steel her expressions into neutral confusion. “I don’t believe so… I’m sure I would remember someone as charming as you,” she said with a faint smile.

He returned her smile, though the expression didn’t quite meet his eyes as he tilted his head to the side, continuing to examine her as he tried to recall where he had seen her before. “That is strange,” he began, Ahsoka struggling not to shift uncomfortably under his sharp, perceptive gaze. “Where did you say you were from again?”

Another surge of alarm rolled over Ahsoka, this one more potent than the last. “Oh, nowhere important, probably not a planet you’re probably familiar with,” she lied, hoping to sound as dismissive and nonchalant as possible to passively dissuade his interest.

Of course, her subtle tactic didn’t have the desired effect of quelling the man’s interest. “Oh come now!” he exclaimed good-naturedly. “You insult me. I may be a member of high society, but I still know many obscure systems.”

Ahsoka’s smile faded at his words, disheartened by his persistence. “Kiros,” she said after a pregnant moment of silence, the name of the planet where the Togruta colonists had been captured by Zyggerian slavers popping into her mind. That planet was relatively unknown and unpopulated, right? “I’m from Kiros.” 

“Kiros?” he repeated, tapping at his jaw with his free hand. “Hmmm, you may be right, I don’t believe that I _am_ familiar with that planet. But that still doesn’t explain why you seem so familiar to me….”

Ahsoka’s mind raced as he spoke, a myriad of possibilities of where he could have encountered her flashing behind her eyes. Running through the streets chasing after a criminal? Around the Senate building, or any upper-class establishment the Jedi were known to frequent? Or, better yet, when she was a wanted fugitive after being blamed for bombing the temple?

Her eyes flickered back to the man’s, a cold feeling of dread settling deep in her chest. What was she going to do to if he recognized her? If he realized she used to be a Jedi? That, by jurisdiction of the Empire, she was a wanted criminal with what was likely a very high bounty on her head? Her hand hovered over where her lightsaber was strapped to her thigh, her fingers loosely tracing its outline concealed beneath the folds of her dress. That would be a quick and easy solution, but would probably cause more problems in the long run. No, the saber would stay hidden unless it was absolutely necessary.

The other option she considered was to do a quick mind trick, to swipe her hand in front of his face and tell him that they had just met, that he had never seen her before in his life. However, looking over at the pink Twi’lek poised at his arm, Ahsoka was suddenly aware of the crush of people surrounding them from all sides. No, there were too many witnesses. A mind trick would surely call more attention to herself from the other guests of the casino.

“You know,” the man continued, stroking his chin as he looked at her. Ahsoka’s heart dropped, the dread spreading into her leaden limbs and making her break out in a cold sweat. What was going to happen next was not going to be pretty. “I’d almost say you look like—”

He paused mid-sentence, his eyes shifting to look at something over her shoulder. Ahsoka’s puzzlement only lasted a brief second before she felt a heavy, warm hand rest on her shoulder, the iron grip being both comforting and terrifyingly unnerving. Ahsoka’s muscles went rigid, the unfortunately familiar touch sending a shiver tingling down her spine.

“Is there a problem here?” The unmistakably rich accent of Maul’s deep voice rumbled behind her, the base of his tone lined thick with threat.

Ahsoka turned her head slightly to look at him standing beside her, being mindful of how her arm barely brushed against his chest as he stood in a stiff and almost, dare she say, _protective_ stance at her side. For the first time in what had to be her entire life, she found herself relieved to be in the presence of a Sith Lord. Now _that_ was a shocking development, but not one she found she had much time to dwell on.

She hurried to speak before the other two could get a word in and respond to Maul’s question. “This kind man was trying to remember if we had ever met before. But,” at this, she turned away from Maul and back towards the patron of the casino, who’s name she had not bothered yet learning. “I was just telling him that I don’t believe that we have.”

She could feel Maul’s gaze shift to look at the affluent figures standing across from them, the fingers gripping her shoulder pressing harshly into her skin at his silent understanding of the dire nature of the situation. Across from them, both the man and the Twi’lek looked somewhat uncomfortable to be in his imposing, menacing presence. “I see,” Maul finally said flatly, eyes narrowing in distaste. “Well, my apologies to interrupt, but you and I are running late for _an appointment_ that we must be getting along to.”

Ahsoka breathed an imperceptible sigh of relief at the liberating proposal of escape. “It was nice to meet you,” she offered as politely as she could, trying her best to emphasize that this was the first time the man had ever seen her. Maul’s gruff fingers released themselves from her shoulder, the skin relieved to be freed from his bruising touch, only for him to grab her by the crook of her elbow and drag her unceremoniously away.

 _“What were you doing_ ,” he hissed under his breath once they had traveled a respectable distance through the crowd, just loud enough for Ahsoka to hear him over the clamoring noise of the casino.

“I was talking to people, just like you told me to!” she whispered heatedly back.

He snorted mockingly. “That’s not what it looked like from my perspective.” He looked down, noticing the untouched drink Ahsoka still held in her hand. Frowning deeply in disgust, he plucked the glass out of her hand and placed it on the platter of an unsuspecting waitress they passed by as they pushed through the throng of people. Maul leaned back in toward Ahsoka, his voice so low that she found she could barely hear him. “I told you to go gather information, not almost get _caught_ by some bumbling idiot,” he said tauntingly, his unsavory and insulting words inciting a small sting in Ahsoka’s pride.

“I had it perfectly under control. I didn’t need your help, you know.”

Maul straightened, withdrawing his head away from hers. “Then why were you so panicked?”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t _panicked,_ I have no idea where you’re getting that ridiculous notion from.”

Maul gave her a disgruntled side eye, but relented, ending the conversation. Finally breaking away from the stifling press of people, the pair exited the front doors of the casino, stepping out into the cool, refreshing night. Ahsoka took a deep breath, relishing in the crisp air as it filled her lungs. “Are we going back to the ship?” she asked as they began to walk down the long, grandiose staircase.

Maul shook his head, a flash of distaste passing over his face. “Fortunately not. Zerem has very generously offered to host us for the night,” he said, gesturing down at a sleek chrome transport that sat parked at the curb at the bottom of the steps.

Ahsoka step faltered ever so slightly, unsure of how to feel about the proposition. On one hand, it would be an immense blessing to sleep in a real bed and not the stiff, firm bunks of their freighter. But on the other hand… “Isn’t that a little, you know, dangerous?” she asked, doubt clouding her voice.

“Lady Tano, if you insist on sleeping on our ship, I will not stop you,” Maul said with a tinge of exasperation. 

Ahsoka fell silent, not wanting to argue. She _really_ didn’t want to spend another rotation on their freighter, and if Maul trusted his associate, then who was she to object? It would probably be safer if they stuck together anyways; she wasn’t too keen on the prospect of splitting up.

As they walked, Ahsoka couldn’t help but notice a small mood shift in her companion from when she had last seen him. Maul seemed different. More angered and upset than normal, if that was even possible. From Ahsoka’s point of view, he seemed to live in a constant state of loathing and annoyance. But now, the aura of his Force signature seemed darker, more restless. It put her instinctively on edge and overall confused her. What had happened while they were separated to put such a damper on his mood?

Or, better yet, had she done something to anger him?

She thought back to her own little side excursion. Hopefully whatever Maul and his underling had talked about had been more successful than she was. It had all been going relatively well, up until the end at least. Which was unfortunate, since she had really been hoping to leave that interaction with more information than simply that he was a ship dealer from Coruscant. That could describe anybody… Force, she hadn’t even gotten his _name_. Not to mention, she was admittedly a little embarrassed Maul witnessed her try (and basically fail) to escape from that incredibly awkward position. Of course, she could have always gotten away using brute force, but she had tried extracting herself from the undesirable position in the least suspicious, most elegant way possible.

And now, much to her displeasure, he probably thought she was incapable of handling herself. That she needed him to come in and save her.

The thought made her almost groan out loud. Force forbid his cocky, arrogant Sith ego inflate even more.

As they approached the bottom of the steps, Drev stepped out of the transport, pulling out a handkerchief from his lapel pocket and waving at Maul and Ahsoka to come over.

“Lord Maul!” he exclaimed once they were in earshot. “How punctual of you! You weren’t lying when you said you would find your friend in a timely fashion.”

Maul nodded curtly, not dignifying the man with a response. His face was contorted into a slight scowl, his eyebrows furrowed and the corners of his lips turned subtly down. He looked incredibly irritated, his frown conveying nothing but discontent and anger.

However, Drev didn’t seem to notice his boss’ evident displeasure. Opening the door to the transport he animatedly motioned for Maul and Ahsoka to enter the transport “After you,” he said, flashing them a gleaming, disarming smile.

Following Maul, Ahsoka ducked in, gathering her skirts up in her fists so that she wouldn’t trip over them as she entered the sleek vehicle.

The interior of the transport was stylish and ornate, making it one of the most luxurious domestic crafts she had ever traveled in, and she had been in quite a few. The low seats lining the edges of the long walls were thickly cushioned with a velvety fabric and colored a rich red hue. Lining the ceiling of the compartment and the space below the seats were soft white lights that cast a dim (albeit cozy) glow in the warm cabin. The floor of the transport was carpeted with a plush, black rug, Ahsoka finding herself able to feel the fluffy texture even through the thick, weathered soles of her combat boots.

Settling into a seat next to Maul on the far side from the door, Ahsoka sunk into the soft pillow of the bench, adjusting herself until she felt fully comfortable. She had to admit, this was quite a step above from the militarized, industrial transports she was used to being in during the war.

Across from them, Drev sank back into his own seat, closing the door behind him and then tapping at a small window that separated the main body of the transport from the driver’s seat. A moment later, the vehicle hummed to life, the floor “Thirsty?” he asked, gesturing toward a small minifridge embedded at the front of the transport in the wall separating the main cabin from the cockpit.

Ahsoka shook her head, holding up a hand in polite refusal. In reality, she was incredibly thirsty, but didn’t want to be too rude and imposing. She figured she would wait until they arrived at Drev’s place of residence and avoid further indebting herself to his unconditional generosity.

At her response, Drev leaned back in his cushion, crossing his legs as he casually studied his two guests sitting awkwardly next to each other on the seats lining the opposing wall.

“Now, I don’t believe I’ve caught your name. What may I address you by?”

Ahsoka caught the implication of his request; his transport was not bugged, so they were now able to speak freely. Even so, she felt her body stiffen, eyes widening imperceptibly as she froze at Drev’s question. She knew it was not wise for her to divulge her true name, lest anybody be searching for them and trace her here. She would have to make something up, something that was believable but at the same time not directly connected to her at all. So, she said the first name that popped into her mind. “Martez,” she stated as confidently as she could after a brief moment of hesitation. “Ashla Martez.”

Drev seemed content with her answer, not bothering to question its authenticity. “Well, Lady Martez, it is a great pleasure to finally formally meet you. As is it a great pleasure to welcome you to our lovely capital city.”

As he spoke, Ahsoka caught a glimpse of Maul staring sullenly out the window, his chin resting heavily in his hand. She felt a flicker of unease blossom in her chest at his brooding state; typically the Sith had too much to say and wouldn’t shut up. Now? His silence put her on edge.

Drev continued talking, prompting Ahsoka to tear her gaze away from her sulking companion and face the portly man sitting across from her. “As I’ve told Lord Maul, typically I would delight in taking you on a tour around the city, but I’m afraid that it is a little late for that, and I’m sure you are very tired.”

Ahsoka nodded. She _was_ rather tired, and her mind wasn’t as sharp as it typically was, what with after the almost two weeks they had spent traveling across the entire length of the galaxy. Although she had initially been somewhat opposed to going to Drev Zerem’s estate to spend the night, thinking it dangerous and an unnecessary risk, she was growing increasingly excited to finally sleep in a bed that wasn’t constantly humming and shuddering as they sped through hyperspace. Solid ground sounded quite enticing, she had to admit.

Across from her, Drev straightened up, shifting his weight around in the seat of his chair. “However,” he said, lifting up a finger. “That will not prevent me from showing you what there is to see on the way!”

Ahsoka forced a weak smile to illuminate her features. The low lights of the cabin had begun to lull her to sleep, revealing just how tired she felt. Once again, she would have to perform the part of the polite, pleasant guest; Maul was evidently going to be no help whatsoever as he continued to fester and brood beside her. Shifting her posture to be more upright, she twisted her back, feeling the stiff muscles pop with satisfaction. In front of her, Drev had already begun talking, excitedly narrating the passing scenery of the vibrant city just outside the transport windows.

“…And that over there, seated above the other buildings, is our magnificent Capital building!” he practically purred, gesturing toward a great golden dome protruding out over the rest of the dazzling structures surrounding it. Lights directed at differing calculated angles cast complimenting highlights and shadows that accentuated the splendor of the architecture.

“It’s very beautiful,” Ahsoka said agreeably, admiring the incandescence of the city from their vantage point in the transport shuttle. She shot an acidic glare at Maul, who still hadn’t said anything since they had entered the vehicle. He either didn’t notice, or purposefully ignored it. Both options brought a great deal of irritation to Ahsoka.

The transport continued down the main boulevard for a little while longer before turning off onto a darker side street, heading in the opposite direction of the alluring lights and charm of the main city.

“We’re now entering the residential district,” Drev informed them, “This is where the most wealthy and influential denizens of the city reside.“

Ahsoka turned away from the window to fully face him. “Such as yourself?” she deadpanned, slightly quirking a brow.

Drev beamed at her and placed a hand on his chest, extending a mock bow. “Oh please Lady Martez, you flatter me,” he said, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes in good humor, giving him a soft smile as she angled her body to look back out the window again. This street had much less traffic and was far darker, the cars and houses they passed being few and far between. As they passed the various mansions lining the road, Drev gave her an incredibly detailed description of the habitants of each place of residence, providing what they did and their influence on the city and even imparting the latest gossip and drama where applicable. Ahsoka nodded and hummed along, passively listening as they shot through the darkness. The stories and background Drev shared was certainly interesting, with Ahsoka being somewhat reminded of the politics and relations of the Senators back on Coruscant. Always bickering and feuding, forming alliances and surface-level friendships… she found herself struck with an odd pang of nostalgia for her old life. She never thought she would remember the incessant, nonsensical squabble of the Senate fondly, yet here she was, stuck reminiscing over a life she knew she would never have again.

“Ah, here we are,” Drev announced as the transport slowed down and prepared to pull into yet another side street.

A side street, Ahsoka noticed as they began to wind up the path that took them through a densely wooded thicket of trees, that was actually a driveway for what was an absolutely huge mansion. As they emerged from the heavy covering of trees concealing the estate from view from the main road, Ahsoka couldn’t help but let her jaw drop as she took in the sheer size and grandeur of the estate nestled in the middle of a large clearing.

Any doubt in her mind about Drev Zerem being a wildly influential arms dealer by day and influential spice lord by night vanished as she beheld the towering structure.

“You live here? By yourself?” Ahsoka asked…

“Well yes, but this isn’t all of what I own,” Drev unashamedly confirmed.

Ahsoka scoffed to herself. “Yeah, I don’t have a hard time believing _that_ ,” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head in dismay at his unapologetic wealth.

As the transport slowed to a stop, Drev was quick to get out of his seat and exit the cabin, turning back to hold the door open for them. Throwing a subtle glance over towards Maul, whose demeanor was still as cold and stony as ever, Ahsoka followed him out onto the cobblestone driveway. “Welcome to my humble estate,” Drev said with flourish once his two guests were out of the vehicle, the irony of the statement not lost on Ahsoka. “As I’ve previously stated, it is my absolute pride and joy to be honored with hosting you for the duration of your stay.”

Ahsoka nodded, and beside her she saw Maul cross him arms and shift his weight so it was all braced on one leg. Through the Force, she could feel his patience growing somewhat thin, his taut mannerisms conveying his irritation and infamously short temper. _Get on with it,_ she could almost hear him say.

“Now I hate to do this, but for both your privacy and safety, you will be staying in the guest house out back. They are far from the most comfortable rooms I have to offer, but I still hope that you will find them to your liking,” Drev explained, making a broad gesture to a small path that curved around the house and led to the rear of the grounds. Gathering the hem of her skirts, hoping to keep them somewhat clean and prevent them from dragging through the dirt, Ahsoka prepared to follow him.

He escorted his two guests along a mossy (although still neatly groomed) pathway that wove around the outskirts of the main body of the house, the trio walking in a single-file line along the narrow trail. As they made their way around the wide berth of the estate, Ahsoka was met with the beautiful sight of an elaborate garden occupying the space behind the mansion. Drawing her skirts closer as she brought up the rear of their small party, she followed Drev and Maul as the path cut through the stunning and exotic flora lining the stony trail.

Ahead of them, gleaming gently in the night like a soft beacon, was a rather large structure that Ahsoka could only assume was the guest house. Indeed, as they approached the building, she could begin to make out its architecture and shape, the normal size being significantly dwarfed by the behemoth of a mansion that stood behind them.

“Here we are,” Drev announced once they reached the entrance, opening the door for Maul and Ahsoka and motioning for them to enter before him. Stepping into the guest house, Ahsoka was almost immediately taken aback by the decorations and elaborate furnishings of the grand foyer they found themselves standing in, the embellishments and ornamentation of the room being breathtakingly beautiful.

“Lord Maul’s rooms are over there,” he said, motioning toward the largest door lining the extravagant living room. “And for the Lady, we have these ones over here prepared for you.” At this, he pointed toward a smaller door on the other side of the room. “I hope this is to your liking?”

“It shall suffice,” Maul sniffed, speaking for the first time in what felt like ages. His voice was clipped and short, the tone dangerous and low. Ahsoka subtly rolled her eyes at his snippy response, finding his attitude oddly typical and leaving much to be desired.

“They are _more_ than enough. Thank you, Drev, we really appreciate it,” she intercepted, seeking to compensate for Maul’s blunt and ungrateful response.

Drev nodded in response, his head bobbing vigorously. “Of course, of course. Now, as I have previously mentioned… if I may be so bold as to request that neither of you leave the suite until I send for you? I wouldn’t wish for you to have any unnecessary exposure and risk being sighted by any of my… _business_ partners.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem at all,” Ahsoka said, speaking quickly as not to give Maul the chance to respond and say something regrettable. She could practically feel his discontent as a physical presence through the Force, though for what, she still couldn’t quite piece together.

“Excellent,” Drev said, clasping his hands together. “And now, so that you are not left unattended….” He trailed off, leaning over to press a button on a panel embedded in the wall beside the entryway. From a well-concealed side door at the other end of the room, Ahsoka noticed in her peripheral vision a small human girl step into the room, her head lowered in a respectful bow. “She shall tend to your needs while I am busy. She is at your service.

“Now,” Drev clapped his hands dramatically together, snapping Ahsoka’s attention away from the girl and back to their host. “It has been an eventful evening, and I’m sure you are very tired from your travels. Rest well, and please wait for my summons tomorrow. Until then, I bid you a good night.” With that, Drev exited the room, leaving Ahsoka, Maul, and the girl alone in the silent wake of his departure.

After a moment, the girl stepped forward toward Maul. “My Lord,” she began quietly. Her gaze remained averted and trained on the ground as she spoke. “Your rooms are over this way. If you would allow me to show you to them….”

However, Maul held up a gloved hand, shaking his head. “There is no need,” he said shortly, straightening his posture and throwing back his shoulders as he prepared to exit the room.

As he walked past Ahsoka, Maul dipped his head in her direction, his hands clasped behind his back. “Until tomorrow, Lady Martez.” There was a hint of humor in his voice as he said her self-proclaimed false name, yet the look did not quite reach his eyes, the deep scowl from before still permanently etched there.

“See you tomorrow,” she responded, watching as he walked past her and disappeared into the room he had been shown. The door shut behind him firmly, and then Ahsoka was left alone in the room with the subdued maid.

“Would you like to be shown to your rooms?” she asked, Ahsoka finding her soft and melodic tone to be very soothing.

Ahsoka nodded. “I think I’m fine. Thank you, though.” 

“It is my pleasure,” she responded, bowing and exiting the room back the way she came through the small side entrance. 

After she left, Ahsoka stood in the large room in silence, relishing in the blissful quiet she was suddenly presented with. Taking a moment to collect herself, she finally turned to walk toward the suite Drev had earlier gestured towards.

 _I literally cannot wait to get out of this dress…_ Ahsoka thought to herself as she opened the door to her private room, mentally shaking her head as she caught a glimpse of the rich furnishings and décor of what she had been led to believe was a small, humble guest suite. 

But she was too tired to appreciate the luxury of the room she had been gifted with. Closing the door behind her, Ahsoka hastily stripped out of her dress, letting out a great sigh of relief as the sleek, heavy fabric was peeled from her body and she was left only in her undergarments. Unstrapping her single lightsaber from her thigh, she gingerly placed it on the bedstand, rubbing out the indented outline it had left on her flesh from where the sharper edges had dug into the skin. She stretched her arms out above her head, basking in the feeling of the cool air that prickled at her skin.

After a moment spent enjoying herself free from the confines of her dress, Ahsoka bent down and picked up the discarded heap of her silky formalwear, doing her best to neatly fold it. Satisfied with her work, she placed the black garment on top of the dresser before turning back to the large, inviting bed.

If she were still a Jedi, she would be obligated to reject such a luxury.

It was a good thing she wasn’t a Jedi anymore.

Lifting the top cover, Ahsoka began systemically peeling back the layers of the bedding, each blanket more thick and plush than the last. She finally reached the last cover, revealing the soft bedsheet that she caressed beneath her weary fingers. Inserting herself into the bed, Ahsoka pulled the blankets over her and wiggled under the covers, adjusting her body until she was fully comfortable enveloped in the bed’s cushiony touch.

Reaching out a hand, she extended her consciousness through the Force and turned the lights of the room off, plunging her surroundings into a deep darkness.

As she faded into sleep, she distantly felt the cold, chilling presence of Maul’s Force signature reach out and brush up against hers. It was dark and foreboding, yet at the same time it was familiar. Comforting. Almost… reassuring.

 _It’s nice not being alone_ , she thought simply to herself, not bothering to question the implications of that statement as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. That would be something she could deal with tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELCOME TO THE END OF THE CHAPTER ahaha
> 
> So I understand these past two chapters have been a bit on the slow side and haven't been *terribly* exciting, but I guarantee the next one will definitely make up for that! It's going to be lots of fun for the whole family and I am super stoked for it! I already have large chunks of it written so the goal is to get it out before (or maybe right after) Christmas AND THAT'S A GIANT RAT PROMISE 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	13. Conflict on Cantonica

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all, new chapter alert! Just a quick heads up, this chapter gets a little violent... it's nothing too crazy, but just worth mentioning!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy! :D

In the morning, Ahsoka woke up with a bright light in her eyes, the direct sunlight filtering in unobscured through a window above her bed.

With a groan, she rolled over onto her side. Peeling the blankets off from her body, Ahsoka swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up, rubbing at the corners of her eyes to clear the morning crust that accumulated along her lids. She sat there for a moment, staring at the floor, before she stood up and stretched herself out. As she was doing so, a loud rumble from her stomach split through the amiable silence of the room, pangs of hunger shooting through her body.

Ahsoka struggled to remember the last time she had eaten. It had been a while, that was for certain. Sometime on the ship, what felt like ages ago.

However, she had to take care of a few things before she went out to find food and sate her hunger. “I can’t go out like this,” she said to herself, looking down at her body clad only in her undergarments. The black folds of her dress from the previous night, sitting innocently on the top of the large dresser, caught her eye. “And I’m certainly not putting that back on, at least not if I can help it.”

She turned her attention toward the walk-in closet nestled in the wall next to the dresser. Ambling over to the spacious enclave, she absently browsed the various garments hanging up on the racks lining the walls, flipping through the hangers as she perused the extensive collection.

She pulled out the simplest, most familiar thing she could find amongst the selection, a black silk robe. Ahsoka slipped the article of clothing over her form, pulling her arms through the sleeves and tying the sash around her waist as tightly as she could to prevent it from coming undone. Adjusting the neckline as she exited the closet, she stepped back out into her bedroom, summoning her saber from where it sat on the bedstand with a controlled pull of the Force. It flew through the air and into her outstretched hand, where Ahsoka promptly pocketed it in one of the deep folds of the robe. Content that she looked somewhat presentable and was adequately armed, she left her bedroom, entering the main floor of the guest suite.

Unsurprisingly, Maul was already awake, sitting casually at one of the couches in the expansive living space. In front of him sat a low table, upon which was an impressive variety of differing delicacies, all small and bite-sized, yet still vast in their numbers.

The cold chill of the tiled floor crept through the soles of her bare feet, the hem of her robe training daintily behind her as she made her way across the room. Sitting in the couch opposing Maul, Ahsoka extended a short nod of greeting as she sank into the plush seat. “I think we need some new clothes.”

“Not a fan of the finery, I presume?”

Ahsoka let out a short laugh. “Not in the slightest.” She missed her battle gear, the breathable fabric that allowed her to move and twist about with ease. The clothes she had been wearing for the last day, and even the shirts she had salvaged on the ship, were far too restrictive for her liking.

It was then she realized that Maul was wearing the exact same thing as her, a black, silk robe, except unlike hers that was tied neatly around her torso, his was left open, exposing his bare chest, abdomen, and legs. 

It took all of Ahsoka’s willpower not to openly gawk. As far as she could recall, this was the first time she had ever fully seen Maul’s legs. Their metal machinations were a technical marvel, the components fitting together with extreme precision and operating in perfect harmony. Studying the pleasing contours of the mechanical limbs, Ahsoka’s eyes followed the symmetrical lines as they extended up and met Maul’s torso, metal touching skin in an abrupt transition. Her gaze further traveling upward, she noted his broad chest that had been partially exposed when they first met on Mandalore by his laughably deep neckline was now almost completely bare. The crisp black tattoos arced and curled across his skin, framing and accentuating his chiseled musculature. Beneath his chest sat his thick, solid abdomen, and where his navel would have rested was an extension of his legs, the thin protrusion likely keeping the flesh rooted in the prosthetic.

“See something you like?”

Ahsoka quickly averted her eyes to the dishes and platters displayed on the table, mortified that Maul had caught her staring. “Just… looking at the food.” Right on cue, her stomach grumbled. “I’m really hungry.”

Maul leaned back in his seat, the silk of his robe sliding like water over his skin. “I see…” he said, giving her an indecipherable look that made it unclear whether he believed her or not.

Ahsoka fought to keep her attention on the food elegantly presented in front of her, Maul’s exposed skin and legs still teasingly visible in her peripheral vision. “What’s all of this?” she asked, gesturing to the exorbitant selection.

He waved his hand dismissively. “Just breakfast. Nothing terribly fancy.”

Ahsoka scoffed at his spurning words, the array looking to be the exact definition of fancy. “I don’t even know what half of this stuff is,” she said, picking up a small plate at the edge of the table. She began to sample some of the food, removing the bits and chunks neatly from their platters and placing them on her own. “Any recommendations?”

Maul shrugged, declining to verbally reply. Even with his flat, tepid response, Ahsoka could instantly tell that he was in a much better mood than the night before. However, even so, that still begged the question…

“What was up with you last night?”

Maul’s neutral face immediately soured. “That fool tried to drug me,” he snarled. Ahsoka balked at the sudden venom in his voice. Maul seemed to take note of how quickly his temper had escalated, so to compensate, he leaned back into the couch and crossed his arms over his chest in subdued temperance. “He must’ve put something in that drink he gave me. It’s the only explanation.”

Ahsoka lifted an eyebrow, clearly conveying that she didn't fully believing the story. “And why would he do that.” She said it as a statement rather than a question.

“I haven’t the slightest clue. Though, I have reason to believe he knew that I would likely be less than pleased over his request at delaying our meeting, and thus wanted to save his own skin. After all, I’m not exactly known for my good temper. He probably drugged me to try and placate me.” Maul looked pointedly away, and Ahsoka could’ve sworn she saw his cheeks redden in embarrassment (though with his deep crimson skin and sharp tattoos, it was kind of hard to tell). “Luckily for him, we have more pressing matters to address, and it would be immensely asinine to dispose of him until we’re off-planet.”

“So you’re going to wait until we leave to kill him?” Ahsoka asked dryly, taking a small bite out of a particularly enticing morsel of meat sitting on her plate. The food practically melted in her mouth, the rich flavors a blessing on her tongue after the weeks of rations and flavorless portions.

“Perhaps. I’m still not entirely sure it’s worth the trouble. We have bigger, more important problems than the idiocy of a bumbling underling.”

Ahsoka swallowed. “I mean, he’s been very kind to us. And I feel like his resources and knowledge may prove to be rather invaluable, no?”

Once again, Maul responded with a shrug, effectively ending the line of conversation. Settling into silence, the two ate their breakfast, barely making a dent in the heaps of food sitting in front of them.

After she finished what was on her plate, Ahsoka looked back upon the offerings spread out before her. At the other side of the table, out of her immediate reach and sitting right at Maul’s elbow, a plate of candied fruit caught her eye. Gesturing toward it, Ahsoka asked him to pass the dish to her.

“Of course, anything for you, Lady Tano,” he replied in smooth mockery, giving her a goading look. Lifting the plate with a flourish of the Force, he effortlessly floated the food over to where she sat across from him.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, plucking the fruit out of the air from the platter hovering right in front of her. “Really, why do you insist on calling me Lady Tano?”

“Why not? It is simply the polite thing to do. I may be a Sith, but I am not without manners.” As he spoke, he returned the suspended dish to its original spot on the table, the ceramic touching down on the polished wood with a surprising degree of gentleness for someone whose typical use of the Force was incredibly destructive.

“Do you even know my first name?” Ahsoka deadpanned.

“Of course I do.”

“Then say it.”

Maul leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his exposed metal knees. Without blinking, he stared at her, the prolonged eye contact allowing Ahsoka to truly study the depths and flakes of his golden irises, all lined by a sharp ring of unsettling red. A ghost of a smirk pulled at the corners of his lips as he settled into his new sitting position. “Ah-soh-kah,” he drawled, over-pronouncing each syllable with a ridiculous amount of sarcasm.

Ahsoka crossed her arms, tilting her head towards him playfully. She continued to hold his gaze, refusing to back down from the silent challenge. “There, was that so difficult to say?”

“Unbelievably, _painfully_ so.”

She scoffed at his snide response. “Honestly, I don’t even know why you continuously call me ‘ _Lady_ Tano.’ I mean, I don’t go around calling you ‘Lord Maul.’”

“And quite a pity, that is. I’m rather fond of that title.”

“Well, you better get used to not hearing it from me,” she said, a hint of snark tinging her voice.

“How unfortunate. It’s a shame that your time in the Jedi Order didn’t educate you more about respect. It seems that your old master failed to teach you proper manners, amongst other things.”

At this, Ahsoka bristled, her formerly lighthearted mood instantly turning bitter as Maul insulted Anakin. “Anakin didn’t fail me.”

Maul didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, but you see, he did. Not only did he fail in seeing your training you through to Jedi Knighthood, but he also fell to the dark side. Tell me, Lady Tano, in what galaxy does that _not_ equate to total, utter failure?”

“You have no idea what you are talking about.”

“But don’t I? Where is he, then? I know you’ve been searching every night, every chance you get, extending your consciousness through the Force, to find what?”

Ahsoka didn’t respond, nostrils flaring as she glared at Maul, silently daring him to continue. 

“Nothing. You find nothing. Your master is gone. He failed.”

Ahsoka opened her mouth to fire a scathing response, but Maul held up a hand and cut her off. “Of course, I simply _must_ give credit where credit is due. Who trained him, after all? Are we not the product of our masters, the accumulation of their teachings? Yes, by that logic, I believe it is adequate to say that _Obi-Wan_ is the true failure here.”

“Now you’re speaking nonsense. Obi-Wan is no failure, he was one of the best Jedi the Order had to offer!”

“Ha!” Maul laughed in malicious disbelief. “What good is being the best in the Order, when it still isn’t enough to defeat Darth Sidious? To prevent his rise to power? But, I digress….” At this, Maul leaned forward, resting an elbow on his knee and propping his chin on the back of his hand. “Did he ever tell you what happened on Naboo?”

Ahsoka bit the inside of her cheek, dreading the direction the conversation was currently taking as Maul gave her an indulgent, mocking smile.

He continued without waiting for Ahsoka to respond, robbing her the chance of diffusing the tension as it built relentlessly before her eyes. “He sat there helplessly, only able to watch as I gutted his pathetic master. You should have seen him, Lady Tano, how he dipped into the dark side when he fought me, fueled by his rage and hatred, right up until he severed my body and left me to rot on Naboo. Not very noble for a Jedi, if I may share my humble opinion.”

At this, Ahsoka felt a burst of protest escape her lips. “You killed his master! What did you expect him to do? Pat you on the back and congratulate you? Commend you for a job well done?”

“The coward couldn’t even successfully kill me!” Maul snarled, his teeth flashing. “He didn’t bother finishing the job, and here I am, alive and breathing, while his rotting corpse is decomposing and forgotten on some nameless, backwater planet. _He. Failed_.”

Ahsoka shot him an incredulous look. “You want to talk about failure? How ironic, because you want to know what it looks like from my point of view? _You’re_ the one who failed! Obi-Wan bested you in a duel, and as a result, you were cast aside by your master! You were replaced, and the only one to blame is yourself!”

“Obi-Wan took everything from me. He deserves the fate he received.”

Ahsoka laughed humorlessly. “You don’t hate Obi Wan, you just hate yourself! You condemn Obi-Wan for your own shortcomings, because from the _moment_ you wake up, you are in constant reminder of what he did to you, and how you failed!” She jabbed a finger aggressively at his seated form. “You despise him, but you cannot deny that it is _impossible_ for you to escape from the truth! Every step you take, everywhere you go, your failure is constantly with you! Your legs are the physical embodiment of your inadequacy, your _downfall_. You resent Obi Wan only because it is easier than taking accountability for your actions. And now, you are cursed to live the rest of your life with only half the body you were born with, haunted by your defeat, and you know what I think? _You deserve it_.”

Ahsoka was somewhat shocked by the venom in her voice, by the bitter anger imbued in the words and the length of the rant she spat at the Sith sitting across from her. For a brief moment she felt a twinge of regret, but immediately cast it aside. She knew what she said was the truth. It was a truth he needed to hear.

Much to her surprise, she did not receive an immediate response to her long-winded monologue. Confused, she watched as Maul held her gaze ominously for a long, agonizing moment before wordlessly lifting up a hand. His saber hilt wobbled where it rested on the table in front of her, flying through the air and sailing into his hand. With deliberation, he lifted himself up and off of the couch, glaring at her with a scalding intensity as he stood up to his full height.

Ahsoka felt her stomach drop as she regarded his imposing form. Eyes flitting between the hilt clenched in his grip and the menacing scowl gracing his features, she gradually realized the implications of his foreboding stance.

“Maul. You do _not_ want to do this.”

Without breaking eye contact, he held his weapon out in front of his body, igniting the two ends of his blade with excruciating, deadly intent. “Oh, I believe that I do.” 

Ahsoka’s hands flew to her pockets to draw her own sabers, eyes widening when she realized that she was only equipped with one of her weapons. _My shoto saber…. It’s still on the ship!_

Her panic, much to her dismay, did not go unnoticed by Maul. “Missing something, are we?” he sneered, his sharp tattoos twisting as his features contorted. “How _unfortunate_ … for you.”

Ahsoka scrunched her nose in defiance, pulling the lone hilt from the folds of her robe and balancing it in her hand. “I don’t need both of my lightsabers to beat you. I am perfectly capable of doing it with just one.”

“We shall see then, won’t we?”

Before Ahsoka had the chance to respond, he lunged at her, his saberstaff twirling in a flash of crimson as it descended in an arcing path to strike her shoulder. Igniting her own blade and lifting it to block his blinding slash, their sabers collided, the force of his blow rattling her bones. Ahsoka gritted her teeth and adjusted her stance, pushing back against the strength of Maul’s weight as he tried to overpower her.

Slicing her blade upwards to knock his assault away, Ahsoka followed up with her own counterattack, angling her saber around to aim for his side. He batted her assault away with a smooth interception of his plasma blade, the collision of red and blue resulting in a blinding flash of pure white.

Unfazed by his block, Ahsoka quickly feigned a direct strike at his neck before quickly diverting the path of the saber to slash at his knees. He spun away, his loose, untied robe fluttering behind him like the wings of a bird. Although she missed landing a hit on his body, her lightsaber sliced through the end of the long garment, severing a large chunk of the robe’s hem.

Regaining his balance and composition, Maul bared his teeth at her, springing toward her and immediately putting her back on the defensive. He swung his blade straight toward her chest, forcing her to drop to the ground in a low squat to avoid being cut in half. Kicking a leg out, she connected with his knee, mentally cursing as the flesh of her foot connected with his unyielding durasteel leg.

 _That’s going to be sore tomorrow,_ she thought as she looked up to see Maul hold his saber high above his head in preparation to swing down and impale her. With a gasp, she leapt out of the way, internally flinching as she heard the sound of his scorching blade pierce a hole in the elaborate tiled floor right where she had been kneeling mere moments earlier.

In an undignified scramble, she flung herself over the couch, seeking to put as much distance between them as she possibly could. Whirling around, she held her saber defensively in front of her body and bent her knees in a slightly crouched position. She bounced lightly in place, prepared to spring back into action if need be.

In front of her, Maul glared at her before momentarily turning his attention toward his tattered clothes. Scowling at the charred, smoldering fringe of his loose robe, he shrugged the garment off, letting it pool in a heap on the floor. Ahsoka felt her eye involuntarily twitch as he rolled out his neck, flexing his thick, bare muscles as he prepared for the next round of sparring, the tattoos painting his skin rippling in a hypnotic dance.

But she refused to be distracted. Flexing her fingers on her hilt, she slightly adjusted her grip. “Have you had enough yet?”

“I’m just getting warmed up,” he snarled, golden eyes glinting in a terrifying flash of bloodlust.

Idly twirling his lightsaber around in one hand, he stalked toward her position, looking very much like a Loth-cat hunting a mouse. Ahsoka sank into a lower position, further bending her knees as she tactically surveyed his movements and body language while he slowly approached.

Lifting his other hand, Maul bent his fingers, and Ahsoka felt the call of the dark side swirling around him as he tapped into the Force. Before her, the couch, currently the only thing separating them, lifted off the ground in an unsteady wobble before being violently cast aside and crashing against the far wall of the room.

The path clear, Maul lunged forward, striking out with a quick series of thrusts and jabs. Ahsoka parried every single one, their sabers meeting for brief moments before being torn apart in a mesmerizing dance of flashing light. Forced back on the defensive, Ahsoka found herself slowly retreating across the room as Maul advanced on her, hacking away in with frenzied fervor. His face was twisted in a mask of pure rage, his fierce markings glinting dangerously in the light as he continuously beat her back.

It was terrifying. Trying to quell the pit of fear that bloomed in her gut, Ahsoka drew from the Jedi teachings long instilled in her, seeking to counter his fury with her own calm and collected response, meeting every blow he dealt with the blue edge of her saber.

Despite her efforts, she still found herself in a steady retreat as she blocked and evaded Maul’s blows. Ahsoka was startled as she backed into a small table, the brief distraction allowing for Maul to surge forward and pin her against the furniture with his bloody blade, Ahsoka barely lifting her own saber up in time to prevent him from skewering her. Their weapons locked, Ahsoka found herself being pressed against the sharp edge of the table, steadily leaning back as Maul pushed his blade closer to her body with frightening vigor.

A plan of counterattack rapidly formulating in her mind, Ahsoka used the table to brace herself as she fully leaned back, the furniture’s edge supporting her body weight as she lifted both of her legs and pulled them up and into her chest before releasing them in a mighty kick that connected squarely with Maul’s patterned torso. With a grunt, he was knocked away from her, stumbling to catch his footing as he was thrown off balance.

Not wasting a second, Ahsoka flew forward, propelling herself off from the table and straight into Maul. Easily deflecting his saberstaff as he tried to block her attacks, she knocked his weapon out of his hands in a particularly forceful slash, the saber retracting as it soared through the air and landed on the floor in an undignified clatter. The shock of the hilt being wrenched from his grip gave her the perfect opening to reach out and push him with the Force, the strength of her shove sending him careening onto his back.

Without giving him the chance to recover, she leapt on top of him, straddling his body before he was able to get himself up off the ground. Ahsoka dug her knees into his arms, pinning them against the ground by the crux of his inner elbow. Still, he struggled underneath her, his form writhing as he tried to throw her weight off. Ahsoka took her lightsaber in her hand and plunged it into the space right next to his head, the icy blade burying itself in the ceramic flooring. His struggling abated, monstrous eyes glaring at her as she held him in place.

“ _Yield,”_ Ahsoka hissed, the blinding blue of her saber casting a harsh, uncanny light across their features. Beneath her, Maul’s nostrils flared as he held her gaze, the blackness of the Force rolling off him in a swelling tide of freezing hatred. He had, for the most part, stopped resisting, but his muscles still spasmed beneath her, testing the waters and searching for a weakness that he could exploit to free himself from his entrapment.

“ _Never_ ,” he growled, the sound tearing itself loose animalistically deep from the back of his throat. Ahsoka’s brow furrowed, dragging the blade of her saber through the ground and closer to his neck in a menacing threat. She leaned in, their faces becoming tantalizingly close as she asserted herself over him, trying to make him submit.

After a few agonizing moments held at a standstill, she felt his arm beneath her left leg twitch, the movement nearly imperceptible enough for her to not notice it. Realizing in a flash of alarm what he was doing, Ahsoka launched herself off of his body, flipping through the air as she heard the hum of his lightsaber ignite and hurtle through the air, straight toward where she had been sitting moments earlier. Spinning around, she watched Maul catch his hilt as he summoned it from its discarded spot on the ground with the fibrous pull of the Force.

“And here I was thinking that had been a little too easy,” Ahsoka quipped as he turned to face her, brandishing his reclaimed blade. The pair cautiously regarded each other, waiting to see who would make the first move in their new round of battle. A thrill of minute fear traveled down her spine as she saw the corners of his lips turn in a malicious growl, the display exacerbated by the glow of his red saber.

“I wouldn’t want to disappoint.” Even in his enraged state, he still found the time and courtesy to engage in banter with her, though the words were hostile and barbed.

Ahsoka couldn’t prevent the scoff that escaped between her lips. “Even with only one lightsaber, I have you beat. Admit it Maul, you’re outmatched.”

His scowl deepened, teeth bared as he let out a ferocious roar and charged at her. “I’ll show you who’s outmatched!” he snarled, descending upon her in a flurry of blows. Ducking out of the way, Ahsoka dodged and weaved between his deadly blade, dancing around on the balls of her feet as he tried to land a fatal strike.

She was doing an admirable job avoiding and blocking his relentless onslaught, however, she found herself at a clear disadvantage, with his double-ended saberstaff proving to be a particularly difficult challenge to meet with her lonely, single blade. She was quick to adapt her form and compensate for the shortcoming, but even with her advanced technique and training, she was not infallible.

Ahsoka let out a pained gasp as she felt the tip of his saber connect, the plasma blade slicing cleanly through the skin of her upper arm as he nicked her and left a long, shallow scratch. The searing hot pain that his successful hit sent shooting through her nerves caused her to lose her concentration for a split second, staggering back as she tried to place some much-needed distance between their battling forms.

Unfortunately, this left her completely vulnerable for Maul to press forward, surging his body into her unbalanced stance and slamming her against the wall behind her with such force that the wind was knocked out of her lungs. Involuntarily releasing her grip on her saber, the hilt slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor with a _clunk_. Maul pinned her against the wall, his forearm barred across her shoulders to prevent her from moving forward. His other hand lifted up the thrumming end of his blade, the scarlet light flickering dangerously across his face as he held it close to her throat.

Frozen and immobilized, all Ahsoka could do was stare wide-eyed into Maul’s piercing glare, their ferocious depths reflecting his murderous intent and the incessant drive of the dark side.

The blinding light of his blade pressed precariously close to her exposed neck caused her to squeeze her eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable pain of his plasma saber carving into her skin, of him pushing forward to deliver the fatal blow. Her breath hitched in the back of her throat as she prepared to die.

_Anakin, I’m sorry. I’ve failed._

However as the seconds passed, the pain did not come, the scathing touch of his saber not making contact with her skin. 

Ahsoka cracked her eyes open to find Maul glowering at her, his weapon still ignited near her neck as his blazing eyes seared through her soul. Ahsoka tried to struggle, to lift away from the wall and push his oppressing arm off of her, but he did not relent, growling as he pressed his body closer to her to prevent her from escaping. Ahsoka grimaced as the sharp metal edges of his leg dug into her hip, hard enough to leave a harsh indent. If she made it out of this alive, that was _definitely_ going to leave a bruise.

“Well? What are you waiting for?” Ahsoka hissed. Her chest heaved from exertion as she struggled to regain her breath from when she had first been slammed against the wall. “Do it. I know you want to.”

Ahsoka’s words provoked a fresh wave of fury to roll off of Maul, his eyes narrowing and fierce scowl deepening as he adjusted his grip on his saber, the blade shifting painstakingly closer to her neck. She could feel its heat radiate and singe the surface of her skin through its sheer proximity. Still, she did not back down, holding Maul’s gaze and seeing her own defiance reflected in the fiery depths of his haunting golden irises.

A minute passed. Then another. Both Force wielders were glued to their spots, forms unmoving as their bodies remained locked together. Ahsoka felt a small trail of sweat bead down the side of her face, both from her nerves and the heat radiating off of Maul’s weapon. She could feel her pulse racing, distantly wondering if he could feel the accelerated pace from where his bare, formidable forearm rested right above her heart.

And, just like that, as if a switch had been flipped, his hold on her loosened, his arm lowering and his blade pulling away as he took a slow step back. Without his weight pinning her to the wall, Ahsoka slumped forward, muscles going slack as Maul retreated and put a respectable distance between them. Wordlessly, they stared at each other, the low hum of his crimson blade being the only thing punctuating the silence.

Ahsoka was in shock. Why didn’t he kill her? He had every chance, every reason to, and yet, he had withdrawn. She had seen the murderous intent in his eyes, in the curve of his sneer. He had fought to kill and had beaten her until she was at his mercy and yet, here she was, still alive. Still standing, still breathing.

Every part of her wanted to ask why. But she couldn’t form the words, their weight sticking incomprehensibly on her tongue.

She let out a light cough, her body shuddering as she stood up straight, not breaking the eye contact she held with the Sith. He regarded her levelly, a confusing and indecipherable mix of expressions painted on his severe face.

“How do you expect us to work together to defeat Sidious, if we can barely tolerate one another?” she found herself asking, the words not the ones she wanted to choose but the only ones her lips would let her say.

He didn’t answer, letting her words echo hollowly in the demolished room as he tore his gaze away from her to stare at the glowing blade of his saber. Almost as if he couldn’t believe what he had done; both that he had the chance to kill her and didn’t follow through, and that it was something he had even considered doing in the first place. He turned back to look at her, the puzzling combination of emotions on his face sending an unwanted pang through her heart.

Ahsoka traced a finger along the length of her shallow cut, the cauterized wound tingling in retaliation underneath her touch. Dropping her hand, she shook her head in defeat. What the hell were they doing? “This isn’t going to work out. It… it was never meant to. We were doomed to fail from the start.”

Maul didn’t respond, instead fully turning away from her. Retracting his blade, he returned his saber to his hip, tucking it away as if it had never been drawn in the first place. Through the Force, Ahsoka could feel the darkness, the rage and fire that had fueled him during their battle, subside, retracting it’s icy claws to wrap itself tightly around his pulsating aura nestled in the center of his chest.

Realizing he wasn’t going to say anything, Ahsoka picked her own saber up from the ground, summoning it to her hand through the Force. Giving his figure one last glance, a mixture of regret, sadness, and defeat crossing her features, she turned away, wordlessly leaving the room and closing the door behind her as softly as she could.

After all, there was nothing left to be said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean honestly this was all bound to happen XD
> 
> Also, Life Update: YA GIRL GOT INTO DENTAL SCHOOL!!! I'm like, lowkey really stupid so this is both very exciting and very nerve-wracking hahaha


	14. Scheming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT'S UP I'M BACK, HAPPY 2021 EVERYONE
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy the chapter! 😊

Ahsoka sat on her bed, pressing a cold cloth into the cut on her upper arm. The wound wasn’t bleeding, as was the nature of lightsaber injuries, but it still burned to the touch and throbbed in a dull, aching pain. She would have to see if she could get a small bacta patch to try and reduce the amount of scarring. It was a petty injury, yes, but she couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed at the fact the Maul had managed to land a hit.

When was the last time anyone had successfully struck her, anyways? She had accumulated her fair share of injuries over the years, ranging in origin and severity. But a saber strike from an enemy? She wasn’t sure she had any of those.

Maybe she wouldn’t try to reduce the scarring. Let it fester and serve as a permanent reminder of the nature of the man she found herself entangled with. After all, it was a direct consequence of her own foolish oversight. In what world did she ever think that this would work? That their differences wouldn’t escalate to the full-blown fight they just had?

The light and the dark were just too opposite. It was plain and simple as that. It had been idiotic to ever consider that this might be the exception, that their partnership could exist despite an extensive history spanning thousands of years separating them.

It took all of Ahsoka’s willpower to resist facepalming herself for her stupidity. Though, she had to admit, she had to give them some credit. The fact that they had lasted this long, almost three weeks to be precise, without having a physical altercation was, quite frankly, a miracle. It had been bound to happen sooner or later; she should know better than to be blindsided by its occurrence.

She closed her eyes, the turmoil of her thoughts threatening to overwhelm her. However, branded in her mind, inescapable and ever-present, was the image of Maul glowering at her, his forearm pinning her against the wall, his crimson saber giving his face a devilish illumination as he prepared to end her life.

And that was the most shocking thing of all. That he had the opportunity to kill her, but hadn’t.

Ahsoka opened her eyes and laid back on the bed, body cushioned by the fluffy pillows and comforter that pooled around her as she sank into the mattress and stared at the ceiling. He had the opportunity to kill her, and he didn’t. Why didn’t he land the fatal blow? Why did he restrain himself, releasing her when she was completely at his mercy with no ability to fight back?

She had seen the murderous intent in his eyes. The pure, glowing bloodlust that wouldn’t be satisfied until she was lying dead and lifeless at his feet. It was a look she was growing increasingly accustomed to, though it still rattled her to see.

In the back of her mind, she knew he had promised not to kill her, that he had assured her repeatedly that he would not harm her. But then again, where had that resolve gone when he attacked her? He initiated the fight, for goodness sake! He drew his lightsaber first; she had merely engaged to defend herself and subdue him for her own safety.

 _I almost had him, too_ , Ahsoka grumbled sourly to herself, rolling over so that she laid on her side. For a moment, however brief, she had him cornered. He had been beneath her, at her mercy, and she had squandered the perfect opportunity to end the fight and assert herself (once again) as the victor. The dominant partner.

In the end, it didn’t matter. Whether she liked it or not, they were currently tied 1-1 in terms of the outcomes of their lightsaber duels. Ahsoka found herself direly hoping that there wouldn’t be a third incident to break their tie. 

She doubted she would stick around long enough to find out.

She would stay long enough to see what Drev Zerem had summoned them for, both out of courtesy and her own curiosity, but after that? Well, she’d figure that out when she got there.

Ahsoka sat up, placing the cloth she had been using to idly dab at her wound on the dresser next to the bed, burying her face in her hands. Her heart was still pounding from the incident, from the thrill and exhilaration of her brush with death.

She needed to calm down and get her thoughts in order.

Settling down into a cross-legged position on the ground, Ahsoka sat down. Letting out a deep breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, she slowly slipped into a meditative trance, focusing on her heartbeat, breathing, and the mesmerizing pull of the Force.

She had lost track of the time when she was startled by a rapid knocking at the door. Her eyes flew open, slightly gasping as she was wrenched back into her body and into her lavish bedroom on Cantonica.

“Mistress Martez, Master Zerem has sent me to remind you of his request for you and your associate to join him for dinner tonight.”

Ahsoka fought the rising desire to groan and bury her face in the pillow sitting at her bed. The last thing she wanted to deal with was Maul, the heat and emotion from their recent encounter still burning in her mind, despite her meditation session. It would take a lot of strength and resolve to last through the night with him and his oily, fast-talking underling.

“Thank you for reminding me. How much time do I have?” Ahsoka asked, unable to prevent a tone of tired exasperation from seeping into her voice.

“About an hour, my Lady. I shall return then to escort you to the grand dining hall.” With a bow, the serving girl backed out of her room, closing the door softly behind her.

Ahsoka sighed, unfolding her legs and pushing herself off of the ground. Picking up the discarded cloth off of the dresser, she walked over to the refresher, wincing slightly at the taut, cramped feeling embedded in her thighs and calves. Neatly closing the door behind her, she angled her arm so that she could get a better look at the damage in the bright light.

The skin where she had been scratched was dark and angry, the flesh raised and inflamed. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she frowned at the deep bags under her eyes. Even though she had slept very soundly the previous night, it wasn’t quite enough to wash away the weight of stress and exhaustion that had accumulated the past few days. The harsh lights of the ‘fresher certainly didn’t help her case; Ahsoka found herself hoping that the dining hall would be dim and more softly lit to help conceal her worn, haggard appearance.

Wringing out the damp cloth and hanging it over a towel bar adjacent to the mirror, Ahsoka, for what had to be the hundredth time since she received it, lightly traced her wound. Grimacing, the thought passed her mind that in inflicting the injury, Maul had sliced through the fine silk of the robe she had borrowed. She hoped that no one would notice, and that if someone did happen to find the gash, they would know how to mend the delicate fabric.

Ahsoka had half a mind to wear a sleeveless dress, to brandish the injury and show Maul that it didn’t affect her. That she didn’t care, that he had no power over her. However, she didn’t want to call any additional, unwanted attention to herself, and _especially_ didn’t want to answer any prying questions from Drev Zerem. So, for that reason, she found herself shrugging off the torn robe she currently wore and slipping back into the dress she had worn the previous night, the same dress that she had hoped she would never have to see, much less wear, again.

She pursed her lips in displeasure as she pulled the silky fabric over her head and threaded her arms through the sleeves. It was less than a rotation and she had already nearly forgotten just how _terrible_ it looked on her. The fleeting thought to pick out a different dress from the well-stocked wardrobe crossed her mind, but she immediately dismissed it. Maul had gone through the effort to obtain this dress for her, it only made sense that she tried to get as much use out of it as she could. Not to mention, she didn’t want to appear rude or overbearing to their host by helping herself to his possessions without asking.

Ahsoka adjusted her headpiece so that it sat straight on her brow, frowning as she took in how ratty and tattered it looked. It was the same one she had worn when she first fought Maul on Mandalore, a gift given to her by Bo-Katan. She would have to go shopping for a new one, though when she would find the time to do this, she had no clue. She was sure Canto Bight had a plethora of options to choose from, but she figured that nothing in the city would be up to her standards. All the headpieces here were probably too fancy and not nearly as durable as she would need it to be.

Lowering her hands from her forehead, Ahsoka left the ‘fresher, going over to her bed and sitting down on its edge. She briefly considered returning to her meditation for the remainder of the hour, but ultimately decided against it. There wasn’t enough time for it to be of much benefit, aside from the fact that she was much too jittery and awake now to have a successful session.

Laying back onto the bed, Ahsoka summoned her lightsaber hilt from it’s position on the dresser across the room with the Force, the object drifting through the air and into her open palm. She turned the cold weapon over in her hands, thumbing the ridges on it’s surface.

Her mind going blank, she twirled the object around in the air, manipulating it through the Force. The action soothed her, calming her mounting nerves concerning the impending dinner she would have to attend. She was really, _really_ not looking forward to it.

Lost in thought, she was startled to hear knocking on the door nearly an hour later. Quickly summoning the object into her hands and placing it hastily on the nightstand, Ahsoka sat up on the bed just as the maid from earlier entered the room.

“My Lady,” the girl said, bowing at the waist. “I have come to show you and your companion to the dining hall. Are you ready to depart?”

 _No._ “Yes, after you.”

Rising, Ahsoka followed her out into the common room that connected the two guest suites. She subtly clapped a hand to her mouth, stifling a gasp as she beheld the absolute _messiness_ that was the state of the room. Face heating in embarrassment, she tried to ignore the room’s disheveled condition, wondering how it appeared from an outside perspective. The couch was askew and leaning against the wall, the tables and chairs on their sides, and most noticeably, were the charred lightsaber slashes covering the walls and the floor. 

And standing in the middle of the wreckage, much to her dismay, was Maul. He was already waiting for them, dressed sharply in the suit he had been wearing the night before. His back was impossibly straight and his shoulders were drawn back, his chin tilted up ever so slightly so that he was regarding them coolly down the length of his long, tattooed nose. His eyes met Ahsoka’s for the briefest of seconds, a myriad of emotion passing between them, before they both turned to avert their gaze. His outward demeanor did not change perceptibly, but Ahsoka could swear that she had seen something deep within his eyes flicker, a darkening that, had she not known him as well as she did, would have passed by unnoticed.

The serving girl did not seem to notice the thick tension that clouded the atmosphere of the destroyed room, and if she did, she didn’t make any comments. “If you’ll follow me, please.”

She turned to leave the suite, and Ahsoka found herself falling into step awkwardly beside Maul as they trailed her out into the garden. To her concealed surprise, he seemed to feel about as uncomfortable as she did, if his stiff posture indicated anything about his private sentiments.

Stepping outside, Ahsoka took a deep breath, inhaling the intoxicating scent of the garden as she tried to calm her racing heart. Her proximity to Maul so shortly after their… _altercation_ was a little alarming, setting her on edge. With some reassurance, she lightly traced her hand over the outside of her thigh, feeling the hard metal of the hilt strapped to her leg beneath the long skirts of the dress.

Unfortunately for her, the silent gesture did not go unnoticed by Maul. With similar discreteness, he lifted a hand to ghost the outline of where his own hilt was nestled underneath the outer coat of his suit, making the motion subtle enough so that it was only noticeable to Ahsoka.

“Interested in a second round, Lady Tano?” His voice was low and scathing, spoken in enough of a hush that the maid couldn’t hear them as she walked in front of them.

Ahsoka sneered, turning her head slightly so that Maul could see the sheer amount of disdain she felt towards him in that moment. “Just wait until I retrieve my other saber,” she seethed. “I’ll cut off more of you than Kenobi did!” 

He straightened, turning his head back so that he was fully facing forward. She saw the muscles in his jaw clench, his lips thinning in obvious displeasure. Evidently, he was still recovering from their recent fight, just as she was. “Need I remind you to be on your best behavior for dinner?” he chided in malicious mockery, speaking the words through gritted teeth. It didn’t take much for Ahsoka to deduce that he was barely suppressing the urge to attack her right then and there on the path through the garden. 

Ahsoka fumed, tactfully choosing not to answer. Her fists clenched and unclenched at her sides as she controlled her breathing, resisting the urge to engage further with her regrettable choice in partner.

The girl led them to a side door into the main mansion of the estate, holding it open for them and gesturing for them to enter before she did. While Maul ignored her and walked straight in, Ahsoka nodded her head in thanks, receiving a small smile from the girl in response.

If she had thought her guest suite had been extravagant, this was an entirely new level. The wealth and riches that oozed from every pore of the interior, from the jeweled chandeliers, to the detailed paintings, to the elaborately woven rugs, to the grandiose architecture. It bordered the line of sheer ridiculousness.

 _Seriously, who even needs all of this?_ Ahsoka thought in disbelief as the trio began to make their way down the high-ceilinged hallway. _I don’t even know how someone can accumulate this much wealth._

The building was a complex labyrinth of passageways and corridors, Ahsoka feeling immensely grateful for the maid’s guidance to lead them through the maze. After a few long minutes of walking, the trio finally came upon the dining room. Drev, catching their eye, stood up in excitement, shooing off the girl who had accompanied them.

“You must be very popular,” Ahsoka commented as she and Maul walked over to the long dining table, taking note of the vast number of chairs lining the extensive slab of wood. Numerous platters of food were already present, waiting to be eaten. 

“An astute observation!” Drev exclaimed heartily. He gestured toward the chairs Maul and Ahsoka were intended to sit in. “You flatter me, my dear. I must admit, these seats are normally filled, but, in the interest of privacy, it shall be only the three of us tonight.”

Settling into her chair, Ahsoka began to help herself to some of the food, listening absently while Drev began to launch into a lengthy monologue about the origin of the food, and how his chefs were the best Cantonice had to offer..

As he continued to speak, his words bleeding together as Ahsoka took a small sip from her drink, she found herself looking across the table at Maul, studying him as he sat. He appeared to be pouting, picking at his food sullenly as he barely acknowledged what Drev had to say.

“…Wouldn’t you agree, Lady Martez?”

Ahsoka’s attention was snapped back to the man sitting at the head of the table. “Yes. I mean, no? I’m sorry, what was the question again?” she stammered, tearing her eyes away from Maul’s sulking form.

“The current political climate of Cantonica; it’s simply egregious, is it not? You have the governor bending over backwards to cater to the new empire, and the senate fighting to increase regulations on business trades and deals! Whatever happened to economic freedom? To capitalism? They simply do not have the best interest of the entrepreneur at heart, which I find downright outrageous!”

Ahsoka turned her focus back to the food she was eating, finding herself slowly zoning out as Drev Zerem continued on his long tirade. Holy Force, is this what Padme had done all day as a senator on Coruscant? She had known that the life of a politician was boring and rather painful, but she never imagined that it could be _this_ bad. This dinner was absolutely dreadful. Ahsoka found it hard to concentrate as Drev’s words and pandering all blended together.

Infuriatingly enough, Maul did nothing to help her. He just sat there in silence, eating his food as he festered and abandoned Ahsoka to deal with Drev herself. Obviously the weaker, less threatening target of the two, she found herself sucked into the conversation, nodding and humming along as he spoke.

 _The least Maul could do is talk to him_ , she groveled to herself, taking a bite of… _The guy is his associate, after all. This whole operation was his idea._

At least the food was good. It was, in Ahsoka’s opinion, the only redeemable part of her dumpster-fire of a day. She could hardly remember the last time she had eaten a meal this satisfying and rich; her diet of measly portions and protein bars was good enough for survival, but not quite as satisfying as the decedent platters presented before her.

The entire meal ended up being five courses of rich, hearty dishes, which Ahsoka found herself only able to nibble at as her stomach filled and the plates kept materializing in front of her. Finally, when she had just about been pushed to her limit, both with socializing with Drev and with eating, their gracious host called the affair to a close.

“That dinner was simply superb, don’t you think?“

Ahsoka nodded in agreement, dabbing at the corners of her mouth with her napkin. Maul glared at what food was left on his plate.

“Alas, while it has been rather enjoyable chatting, it is time we retire to discuss our more pressing matters.” He neatly folded his napkin and placed it on the table, pushing his chair back as he stood up. “If you would follow me?”

Ahsoka and Maul wordlessly rose to follow, exchanging a look that was filled with both tension and thick anticipation.

_This was it. This is what they came here for._

For a moment, Ahsoka put aside her lingering animosity toward Maul, filing away the previous events of that day out of sheer curiosity. This is why she prolonged her stay; it would have been a waste to leave without even seeing what the big fuss was all about.

They followed Drev into what appeared to be his private office. Locking the door behind them, he motioned towards the two chairs sitting in front of his massive desk, obviously placed there in anticipation for their meeting. Hurrying to stand behind his desk, Drev pulled out a small key and unlocked a drawer out of view.

“Now, it is time for me to reveal what you have traveled across the galaxy for! The reason you have been summoned!” With a flourish, Drev revealed a small lacquered box, the front sealed with a card reader.

“Rumor has it, there is a central, no, _key_ stronghold for the Empire in the Mustafar system. A highly secured fortress where all the secrets of the Emperor are stored.” Pulling out the keycard from the inside of his suit, he presented it with a theatrical gesture before pressing it to the scanner. The lock flashed green and unlatched with a sharp _click_. Lifting out a small device nestled in the confines of the box, Drev presented it proudly.

“The Mustafar system!” Ahsoka exclaimed. “There’s nothing there but a lava wasteland. You’re telling me there is a Sith stronghold there?”

Drev nodded energetically. “Yes,” he agreed, “and I have the blueprints right here.” Pressing a small button concealed on the device, he activated it, a large projection of a holographic map springing to life. The hologram displayed a large multitude of rooms, corridors, and entryways in a blinding blue light, the image perforated with the occasional wave of static.

“Now, I don’t have much else, like the access codes or droid security rotations, but I’m more than confident this map is comprehensive enough for your purposes.”

Maul did not look impressed in the slightest. “And how, pray tell, will this help us? What there could possibly be of benefit to us?”

“I was hoping you’d ask that!” Drev exclaimed. “You see, my sources say there is such an artifact stored in the archives of this fortress, one that I believe you will find to be _incredibly_ useful. It is a small, dare I say _portable,_ computerized database responsible for recording and managing the inner machinations of the Empire, from fleet positions, to soldier deployments, to even the locations of high-ranking officials.”

Maul’s eyes widened in realization. “It’s a device that will tell us where Darth Sidious will be, and when.”

“Why would such a thing exist?” Ahsoka asked, eyeing Drev skeptically. “The Republic didn’t use anything like this. If you ask me, it sounds to good to be true, like a hoax.”

The man in question lifted up a stout finger. “Ah, but you see, the Supreme Chancellor likely _did_ have such a device used to mark and track his official position and travels. Highly secretive, and only available to top security officers responsible for managing entire battle fleets, platoons, squadrons, you name it!”

“By being able to track and record his location, proper security and fleet protocols could be followed,” Maul added on, his eyes searching the projected blueprints with a newfound interest.

“So it only tracks his official position…” Ahsoka mused, trailing off. She extended a glance toward Maul. “But I doubt it tracks everywhere he goes.”

“No,” Maul agreed, “it is probably only limited to where the _Emperor_ will be, not Darth Sidious.” The distinction as Sidious having two identities, both as the ruler of the galaxy and a Sith Lord sent an uncomfortable tingle down Ahsoka’s spine, reminding her of the severity of the threat.

“Even so, such knowledge is invaluable.” Under the prying eyes of Drev, she didn’t further elaborate on the topic, but she knew Maul was thinking the same thing that she was. If they could plan their attack around knowing where Darth Sidious was and when he was most vulnerable, why, _they might actually have a chance at this._ They could take the fight to him, under their own conditions, when they were ready. The grand scheme of the battlefield was beginning to seem like it may tip in their favor.

Ahsoka’s attention refocused to Drev. “You’re certain this device you speak of is here?”

“I wouldn’t say certain, more like… confident.”

Ahsoka’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “And you don’t know where it is in… all of this?” The labyrinth of the fortress suddenly appeared to be much more daunting. Their mission objective was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack.

“No… but I’m sure you’ll be able to narrow it down with relative ease.”

Ahsoka let out a short huff, not feeling nearly as confident as Drev seemed to be in them. She turned to Maul. “Well? What do you think?”

Maul didn't answer at first, continuing to scrutinize the map in silence. After a moment, he blinked, nodding slowly. “Your work is sufficient, Zerem.” Reaching out his hand, he powered off the holomap, summoning it into his hand from across the table. Drev shifted uncomfortably, a small bead of sweat trailing down his temple at the casual display of the Force. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, Lady Martez and I have _much_ to discuss.”

“Er, yes, right!” The man’s voice cracked as he hurriedly pressed a button on a panel hidden behind his desk, summoning the serving girl from before. At her prompt arrival, he blurted out some quick, harsh instructions. “Please escort my _esteemed_ guests back to their rooms, and see to it that they are accommodated for the night!”

“Thank you, Drev,” Ahsoka said on her way out, bowing her head respectively at him. “We really appreciate all that you have done for us.” 

The walk back to the guest suite was silent, with both Maul and Ahsoka sunk deep in thought, mulling over the possibilities and implications of what Drev Zerem had provided to them. Ahsoka hardly noticed when they had finally crossed through the gardens and stood in front of the doors to their rooms, suddenly being jolted back into the present as the serving girl held the entrance open for them.

After Maul and Ahsoka entered, she bowed and bid them goodnight, exiting and closing the door to the guest suite softly behind her. An uncomfortable silence descended upon the room as Maul and Ahsoka stared at each other, standing awkwardly in the wreckage they had wrought earlier that day.

The stifling atmosphere was almost too much for Ahsoka to bear. Turning to leave, she prepared to head back to her personal rooms, when the action was interrupted by Maul clearing his throat.

“Ahsoka. A word, if you may.”

Freezing, Ahsoka balked, hesitating at both the prospect of having to directly converse with him, _alone_ , as well as the fact that he had addressed her using her first name. Now _that_ was certainly unusual.

Not that it mattered in the slightest. Levelling a glare at him, she crossed her arms as a silent indication to continue speaking.

“Your arm. How is it?”

She blinked, taken aback by his question. “It’s… fine. What’s it to you?” _Why do you care?_

“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t damaged beyond repair. You’re no use to me incapacitated.”

Ahsoka snorted, the undignified sound ripping free from her throat before she had the chance to stifle it. Of course, what else did she expect? That he felt remorse? That he genuinely _cared_? She was a fool for ever believing it to be possible. “I see. My arm is still completely functional, so don’t you waste any sleep about your grand plans being foiled by your own negligence. You’re going to have to try a little harder than that to inflict more permanent damage.”

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them as they stood a respectable distance apart, staring at each other. “Is that all?” Ahsoka asked after a moment, itching to be alone and out of his presence.

Maul shifted his weight slightly. “No… you and I still have much to discuss about tonight’s _revelations_.” He looked around the room, taking in it’s demolished state. “Perhaps we would be better suited to talk in my private room?”

Ahsoka winced. The last thing she wanted to do was have a private conversation with Maul, especially not alone with him in his room. If anything, she just wanted to go to bed and forget about the events that had transpired that day. It was getting late, and she found herself growing increasingly tired. “Is this really necessary to do _now?_ Can’t it wait?”

“The sooner we verify the authenticity of this blueprint and Zerem’s intel, the sooner we can leave. We still have a few loose ends to tie together before we can depart, and staying here on this detestable planet for an extended period of time may prove to be a disastrous mistake.”

Ahsoka couldn’t argue with that. There were too many high-profile individuals on Cantonica; reports of their presence could quickly spread into the wrong hands if they weren’t cautious. She pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. “Must we do it in your rooms? Why not out here.”

Maul gestured around the destroyed common area. “Please, tell me where we can sit, Lady Tano.”

Another infuriating point. Letting out a defeated sigh, Ahsoka relented, holding out a hand that motioned for Maul to lead the way. Nodding in response to her reluctant agreement, he began to make his way towards the connecting doorway, hands clasped behind his back as he strode ahead of her.

With caution, Ahsoka followed his footsteps, stepping over the discarded debris that littered the floor as she crossed the room. Reaching the door, he held it open for her, gesturing for her to enter in front of him. Skin prickling with anticipation, Ahsoka walked in, quickly angling her body so that her back wasn’t completely turned to him as she passed through. She could swear she saw him roll his eyes out of her peripheral vision, but she didn’t care what he thought. He’d already proven himself untrustworthy and not adverse to attacking her, despite their tentative, mutual alliance.

As Maul entered to stand beside her in the room, Ahsoka turned to indulge in a brief glance at her surroundings. “And I thought my room was big,” she commented dryly, taking in the scenery. Maul’s suite made her own look like a supply closet. 

“It is only natural I receive the finer accommodations.”

Ahsoka shot him a flat look at his haughty, presumptuous tone, unamused (but not surprised) by his predictable response. 

Walking past her to the corner, where a few chairs sat around a low table, Maul pulled one of the seats out with the Force, adjusting it with a small wave of his hand.

 _Show off,_ Ahsoka thought to herself as she followed him and took her own seat in the plush, high backed chair sitting across from him. The Jedi taught her to never use the Force unless strictly necessary, to avoid abusing the gift bestowed upon her. Of course, she and Anakin had certainly taken some liberties in what was deemed necessary or not… although even she knew better than to use the power of the Force to do something as trivial and mundane as summoning a chair to sit upon.

In front of her, Maul revealed the holomap he had tucked into his pocket and set it down on the small table separating them, turning it on with a short press of a button. The device flickered to life and projected the three-dimensional layout of what appeared to be a stronghold, the harsh blue light of the image casting an uncanny glow across the room. Ahsoka rested her elbows on her knees and steepled her fingers, leaning forward and resting her chin in her interwoven hands as she studied the blueprints of the complex. It was overwhelming, the multitude of rooms and corridors creating a convoluted labyrinth that seemed to span several buildings.

“This is certainly something,” Ahsoka commented after a moment, breaking the silence that had descended upon them as they both absorbed the map. “I don’t even know where to begin. We’re not even sure that the thing we’re looking for is actually here.”

Maul hummed in agreement, his eyes still glued to the projection. “Be that as it may, we can at least make an estimation as to where we want to go. As for whether or not our target device is present in this facility, well, I figure we’ll find out when we get there, no?”

After studying the map for a few minutes, Ahsoka reached out with the Force and zoomed in on one of the rooms that caught her eye. “Do you think it might be in here?” The hologram rotated slowly about the destination in question.

“Perhaps,” Maul said, “Or maybe…” he trailed off, taking control of the holomap and rotating it so that the projection zoomed in on a new room, one much farther to the side.

“What makes you so certain that it would be there?” Ahsoka asked, eyeing the hologram dubiously.

“Call it a gut feeling. I just know these things.”

“Okay, that’s great and all, and I still think it’s _here—”_ Ahsoka snatched back control of the map to recenter it, “ –but how exactly are we planning on even getting there?”

Maul snorted lightly, leaning back in his chair as he apprehended the new perspective of the hologram cynically. “I suppose that’s what we’ll have to figure out next, hm?”

Ahsoka inwardly sighed and shifted her focus back to the map, feeling a fresh wave of exhaustion roll over her. It had been a very long day, and she was exhausted. Rubbing fingers over the corners of her eyes, she attempted to diffuse some life back into them and wake herself up. She was met with limited success.

Over the course of the next hour, she and Maul discussed possible strategies for their little heist, debating over the best entry points, best route to take, and even if Maul’s proposed destination within the complex was even where they actually wanted to go. It was mentally taxing, but helped distract Ahsoka from the sleepy fog creeping in the back of her mind.

That, and it helped distract from their earlier fight. Enough so that she had almost completely forgotten about it, all until she caught a flashing glimpse of his saber hilt clipped to his belt, the taunting weapon serving as a potent reminder of what had occurred merely earlier that day.

It was enough to make Ahsoka want to call it a night.

Yawning, she stood up, lifting her arms above her head to stretch her stiff muscles. Maul watched her with a look of displeasure, the corners of his lips turning down in annoyance.

However, he didn’t make a move to stop her as she excused herself and began to make her way toward the exit. As she walked across the floor, her mind swam, both with the events of that day and the new information.

She wanted to leave. For good. Say goodbye to Maul and his convoluted schemes and start over, venture out into the galaxy and begin a new life. It was tempting, it really was. No more Ahsoka Tano, just Ashla Martez, a normal girl with no connections to the Force, the Jedi, or the Sith.

It called to her. But was that really what she wanted to do?

She had a duty. A responsibility. The Force chose her to be here, in this very moment, to work to restore order and balance to the galaxy. Her predicament was no coincidence, she was sure of it. She was typically one to be skeptical of the concept of fate and destiny (at least in comparison to some of the other Jedi, who revered and followed the Force in ways she could never comprehend, for she felt it robbed one of the autonomy to make their own decisions and forge their own path), but everything that had happened so far had been too aligned, too _opportunistic_ to deny. The Force led her to Mandalore. To Maul. Of that, she was sure.

She didn’t want to squander the circumstances, but the pain and hardship their partnership presented was almost too difficult to bear.

But then again, hadn’t her whole life been filled with pain and hardship? What would be a little more?

“Do you regret it?”

Ahsoka paused, wrenched out of her tumultuous musings by Maul’s question. She stood poised by the door and had been just about to take her leave. “Regret what?” she said, after a moment. Her hand hovered over the door handle in preparation to make a swift exit if need be.

“Our fight. Do you regret it?”

Ahsoka’s next pause was much lengthier as she mulled over his words, debating how exactly she wanted to respond. Ultimately, she decided it would be a wise choice to be honest. “No,” she said softly. “I don’t.” A beat. “Do you?”

His head snapped up at her follow up question, quizzical yellow eyes searching hers. Finding no deception, he slowly shook his head, never breaking eye contact. “No.” His voice, deep in its timber and tinged with that strange, rich accent of his, sounded oddly forlorn. Almost…

Melancholic.

“Glad we’re on the same page,” Ahsoka said snarkily in a pitifully desperate attempt to dispel the heavy layer of emotions that had begun to blanket the room. That sort of confrontation was the _exact_ sort of thing she had been trying to avoid.

“Although….” Once again, Maul’s voice prevented her from leaving … “I do regret going back on my word. I promised you that I wouldn’t kill you, yet that is exactly what I attempted to do. For that, I….” He trailed off, and Ahsoka could see the hesitation in his eyes, the reluctance to speak. Almost as if it pained him. “I’m sorry.”

Ahsoka blinked, not believing what she just heard. An apology? From a _Sith?_ The notion, the concept, was absolutely, downright _absurd._

She narrowed her eyes. “What game are you playing at, Maul?” she asked, shifting her stance to one of slight aggression. Of challenge.

“No games,” he responded quietly. His voice was soft; uncharacteristically, unnervingly so. It put Ahsoka into a state of unease. “I let my emotions, my _rage_ overcome rational thought. My apologies, it was not meant to escalate to the level that it did.”

Ahsoka’s aggressive posture stiffened, taken aback by his words and unsure of whether they were truthful. Holding his gaze, she searched the depth of his expression for any signs of deception, but alas, found none.

Ahsoka sighed, the desires to leave dissipating swiftly before she even had the chance to salvage them.

In wake of her silence, Maul continued to speak, asking her yet another question. “Earlier you said that you believed us too different to work together. Do you really feel that is true?”

Ahsoka grimaced, the forward candor of his question causing her to feel reluctant to respond. “Yes… well, no? I don’t know, I mean, our partnership is unprecedented,” she began. “But I recognize that it is necessary if we want to defeat Darth Sidious. It’s the only reason I agreed to work with you in the first place.”

“And?” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you still plan on leaving?”

Ahsoka hesitated. She hesitated. She wanted to, she knew it would be the most rational, logical thing to do, and yet…

She couldn’t bring herself to.

This was her chance, her _only_ chance to right the wrongs of the galaxy. Her only chance to amend the errors, the oversight of the Jedi, and to salvage the order and democracy of the old, fallen Republic. She was one of the only people left capable of restoring balance and defeating the chaos, but she knew she couldn’t do it alone. Unfortunately for her, in a universe devoid of competent Force users and people reliable and powerful enough to help her overcome the odds and do the impossible, she found herself left with few options. It was the conclusion she had come to on the ship leaving Mandalore en route to Coruscant, and it was the conclusion she was coming to now. She knew what she would have to do to re-establish the peace.

She would have to sacrifice her own values and sense of self-preservation for the greater good of the galaxy.

Because if she didn’t try, who else was there to challenge Darth Sidious?

Ahsoka ran a hand down the length of her headtail in admission. “No. I don’t think so.”

At the look of relief that lit up Maul’s features, Ahsoka quickly held up a finger. “ _However,_ ” she said, a hard, resolute edge creeping into the tone of her voice. “If you attempt to kill, or even _harm_ me again…” she shook her head. “I’m gone. You gave me your word, and I expect you to follow through on it.”

“That I did,” he agreed. “And from now on, I will.”

There was a pause as they both stared at each other, neither making a move to speak, or in Ahsoka’s case, leave. “Are you going to bed as well?” she asked after the silence extended into the realm of awkwardness.

Maul waved of her question with a disdainful sweep of his hand, turning his attention back to the map. “Not quite yet, there is still some work here to be down. Besides, I have a few more, how shall I put it… _loose ends_ to tie up.”

Ahsoka merely shook her head at the ambiguity of his statement, the unknown implications acknowledged yet ultimately lost on her as she decided she was too tired to ask him what exactly he meant by ‘loose ends.’ She figured she would find out eventually, and if she didn’t, well, then it simply wasn’t important enough to bother in the first place, right?

At least, that’s what she told herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is probably an astronomical amount of errors in this chapter, I promise I'll fix them eventually hahaha I'm at the point where I'm like "screw it let's just publish it" 
> 
> ALSO up next one of my favorite characters from the Clone Wars series makes an appearance!!!!! ;)))))))))) CONSIDER ME EXCITED hehehe


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